Outerknown | A Sustainable and Eco Friendly New Brand
Outerknown was established in 2015 by 11 time World Champion surfer Kelly Slater. Having witnessed the negative impact of human activity on our oceans, Slater wanted to stand up and make a difference. He was further motivated by his sponsorships with clothing companies, after realising that many products were discarded after a relatively short lifespan, either due to quality or changing fashion trends. As a result, the goal of Outerknown is to create high quality products that last. Crucially, these must be manufactured with an extreme emphasis on sustainability.
So, without further ado, let us introduce the newest addition to Outdoor and Country!
Outerknown’s primary aim is to be “the better choice” when it comes to clothing. It encourages people to think about where their clothes are coming from and how they are made. Sustainable manufacturing processes are more expensive, but Slater hopes that if enough companies switch to these, the cost of everything will reduce for both company and consumer over time. The brand is the first to be founded on a total commitment to sustainability, and is driven by the desire to drive responsible action. You can already see their efforts in the following areas:
1. Materials
Outerknown uses “preferred fibres” – materials which have increased sustainable properties and reduced environmental impact. Examples of these include organic cotton, hemp, recycled materials, and responsible wool. Impressively, as of 2022, the brand uses 95% preferred fibres in their products.
2. Suppliers
It’s all well and good participating in sustainable practices yourself, but the effect is somewhat muted if the companies you work with don’t do the same. Outerknown chooses its suppliers carefully, with two being B Corp Certified, which signals that they meet the very highest standards in multiple areas of responsibility. These include respecting the environment and looking after employees, which is another area of focus for Outerknown as they commit to ensuring all workers involved in the production process are treated fairly. Many of the brand’s facilities are also running solely on renewable energy.
3. Circularity
In 2021 Outerknown launched “Outerworn”, a re-selling platform that enables people to recycle their pre-owned clothing. As a result of this platform, almost 2000 pieces of Outerknown clothing have been kept out of landfill and given a new life with somebody else. This circular approach is a key part of the brand’s philosophy, ensuring that products last even longer. They are therefore investing in the development of additional circular solutions, and aim for 100% of their products to be part of this process by 2030.
Product Spotlight: The Blanket Shirt
The Outerknown Blanket Shirt is the brand’s hero product. A versatile layer, this shirt is perfect for casual wear, and is available in a range of pleasing colour patterns. The laid back style and vintage colour schemes allow the shirt to transcend fashion trends, therefore adding to its lifespan.
Most importantly, the Blanket Shirt is 100% organic cotton. The production of organic cotton does not involve harmful synthetic chemicals that are used for normal cotton. This creates a safer working environment for farmers and labourers, and also removes the chemicals from the environment.
Furthermore, the buttons on the Blanket Shirt feature no plastic at all. They are corozo buttons, made from tagua palm nuts gathered from the forest floor.
Alternatively, the Outerknown Chroma Blanket Shirt features a choice of garment-dyed solid colours if stripes and checks are not your thing. However, this version still shares all of the same sustainable features of the original. We also have the Women’s Blanket Shirt and the Women’s Chroma Blanket Shirt, as the brand expanded to produce women’s clothing in 2019.
While sustainability and product lifespan are at the forefront of Outerknown’s mission, style and function are still key elements of their clothing. By creating products that don’t follow fashion trends, they are more flexible in style and are more likely to be re-worn for years. Plus, casual styling is much more appealing to Slater’s original target audience – the surfing community. While the appeal of this brand sits firmly in their efforts to make a difference in the world, the stylish appearance of their clothing is an added bonus. So, if you want to help make a change, check out our brand new collection from Outerknown.
For more information about exciting new additions to our range, why not read our blog introducing Jack Wolfskin!
And of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram: @OutdoorAndCountry