Outdoor clothing maker Patagonia tells consumers not to buy its R2 Jacket, a best seller

It seems that not all retailers are scrambling for consumers to buy from them this holiday season.

Patagonia, the outdoor apparel clothing company, launched an ad campaign Black Friday and Cyber Monday telling people "Don't Buy This Jacket." The statement appeared above a picture of the clothing store's R2 Jacket – one of their best sellers.

Why would a company that depends on people to buy their product turn around and tell them not to?

The ad , which ran in The New York Times, is a push by Patagonia to encourage consumers to buy less and buy what they only need.

"It's time for us as a company to address the issue of consumerism and do it head on," Patagonia writes in the ad explanation.

Patagonia goes on to explain the hypocrisy of their ad – yes, they admit that they are being hypocritical – and clarifies that if they are a company that "works for environmental change," that they then need to actively do something about it.

Enter the Common Threads Initiative. The message: Reduce; Repair; Reuse; Recycle; Reimagine.

Patagonia pledges to make high quality products using recycled materials that will last a long time.

This isn't the first time the retailer has asked people not to buy a product of theirs. They say so in their ad.

In 2004, the company wrote an essay with the line "don't buy this shirt," and got a strong response from readers.

Is this effective advertising? AdWeek writer Tim Nudd seems to think so.

Nudd writes that the ad comes off as genuine, and although it may hurt their sales short term, the message is long term.

So what do you save by not buying the jacket?

Patagonia says that to make one R2 Jacket, it takes 135 liters of water and emits 20 pounds of carbon dioxide.

Anyone who wants to take the pledge to help reduce their environmental footprint, can click here.