L.L. Bean

Every year L.L. Bean sends out 90 million of it's famous sporting equipment and clothing catalogs, but in the volatile world of fashion, it has remained true to the "Golden Rule" of Mr. Bean, who founded the company in 1912: "Sell good merchandise at a reasonable profit, treat customers like human beings, and they'll always come back for more." Paul Hawken suggests that by sticking to their traditional values of knowledgeable customer service and quality products, L.L. Bean may actually be describing the future of American commerce.