Askov Finlayson Promises To Give 110 Percent To 'Keep The North Cold'

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Askov Finlayson, the downtown Minneapolis outfitter behind the rebranding of Minnesota as "the North," is putting its money where its mouth is in its fight against climate change.

CEO Eric Dayton, the son of Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton, announced Monday that his clothing company will be redesigning its business model so that Askov Finalyson gives more money to fight climate change than its carbon footprint costs the planet.

"We won't beat climate change by simply reducing our environmental impact," Dayton said in a news release. "We need to rethink our relationship with the planet and do more good than harm."

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The business model redesign will start with an analysis of the company's carbon footprint for its operations and supply chain, then translating that into a dollar amount before giving back to organizations on the front lines of the fight against climate change.

How much will the company give back? 110 percent. (Yes, you read that right: 110 percent.)

To kick-off the initiative, Dayton says Askov Finlayson is committed to donating $1 million over the next five years to organizations fighting climate change. He says that the company will start donating money this year while figuring out how to grow the business without breaking its pledge to the environment.

Askov Finlayson started selling "North" branded hats in 2013. Now the store, located in Minneapolis' North Loop neighborhood, sells several other "North" products, as well as items from other clothing companies.

On Sunday, a limited-edition line of Askov Finlayson products will be available at select Target stores and on Target.com.