Must-HAV Log For Our Ocean Community
When we hit the 300k follower mark on Instagram, in the spring of 2022, we knew we had to celebrate the feat. It’s some achievement for a sustainable clothing company like ours to build an eco-fashion community that could fill Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium three times over.
But how would we go about doing it? What would appease over a quarter of a million ocean-mad, eco-clothing fanatics, many of whom follow active and healthy lifestyles?
The answer came to us when we were perusing beautifully crafted surfboards, all made by the local shapers at HAV Surfboards. What would be more appropriate as the top prize in a celebratory giveaway, than a brand new surfboard, custommade for TWOTHIRDS, with a one-of-a-kind design?
Our minds made up, we pulled on an organic cotton t-shirt and eco-friendly shorts, and went on a quick longboard skate mission to their workshop, to place a very special order.
Local Production and Craftsmanship Matter
Another reason we were so enamoured with the idea of a collab with HAV was that local production processes and traditional craftsmanship matter a great deal to everyone at TWOTHIRDS.
Our whole eco-fashion ethos is based around the idea that by producing sustainable clothing locally, it will leave a far smaller environmental footprint than clothes made thousands of miles away from the customers who will eventually wear them.
It is for this reason that all our fresh, eco-friendly outfits are designed and crafted in Europe (Barcelona and Northern Portugal respectively). Even our distribution warehouse is based in Germany, so that it’s closer to the bulk of our customer base, requiring less carbon emissions to deliver our sustainable clothes, accompanied as they are by their completely plastic-free labels and packaging.
What we also understand is that small and medium-sized local businesses are the backbone of any community, with expert craftsmanship and priceless skills being passed down through generations. In short, HAV were the perfect option for us!
Back to the Competition!
Before we get carried away talking about the need for eco entrepreneurship and local family businesses, let’s get back to the competition…
While the custommade board was certain to appease whoever won it, that still left 299,999 ocean lovers to think about, so it was decided that alongside the surfboard, we would also give away other sought-after items. These included stylish sneakers, gift vouchers, sustainable activewear and much more.
All that our shoal of followers needed to do was enter the prize draw via our website and then cross their fingers and toes in anticipation of what they could win.
The Surfboard Blew Our Minds
With the prizes assembled and the giveaway ready to go, all that was left to do was collect the top prize from HAV, who had been beavering away, shaping, sanding and glassing.
When we first set eyes on what they had created, we were speechless. Having been inspired by the print design from one of our sustainable swimwear collection’s boardshorts (that happen to be made from recycled ocean plastic) they had crafted a longboard so beautiful that it seemed a shame to risk riding it.
In the end, the board was won by one of our lucky German customers, who we hope has been able to take it on some rad surf trips.
Surf Culture and Lifestyles Continue to Inspire
No matter where our eco-fashion odyssey takes us in the future, one thing that’s for sure is that surf culture, and the lifestyles that stem from it, will continue to inform all our sustainable fashion designs and eco-clothing collections.
This deeply ingrained love of wave riding is evident in our eco-friendly swimwear, which pioneers the use of sustainable fabrics like ECONYL® regenerated polyamide. Even our TWOTHIRDS beach towels feature SEAQUAL® yarn, which is partly derived from ocean plastic that has been pulled from ocean habitats and then recycled, to make a fabric that is remarkably strong, stretchy and versatile.
With many environmental and conservation NGOs pushing for industries to clean up their act and rid the ocean of plastic, TWOTHIRDS is committed to shining a light that others can follow, as we define best practice for any eco-fashion company that wants to make stylish, sustainable clothes, while respecting the planet.
To this end, we are always on the search for local and family run businesses to collaborate with. So, if you happen to run one, or are even just considering starting one up, we would love to hear from you. After all, people across the ocean loving community need to help each other along, if we’re to successfully care for the waves that give us so much joy.
