Outerknown SEA Program

Outerknown SEA

It’s been a few years since Slater dropped Outerknown on us and we all got upset at the prices of it. Since then they’ve gone, in my opinion, and created what is a leading brand among the beach lifestyle space (of course, it’s still influenced by menswear more than surfwear) and environmental sustainability. I’m a fan of what they’re doing, which leads me into this post and giving some love to Outerknown SEA.

S.E.A. stands for Social and Environmental Accountability and represents Outerknown’s commitment to people and planet.

Outerknown SEA started with denim, which traditionally is one of the dirtiest things to manufacture in clothing, and has since expanded out to pants, shirts and tees. With their denim Outerknown air dry them, which is kinda wild to think about from a time-is-money standpoint. But their supplier saw this as an opportunity that aligned with Outerknown’s values and installed a hanging rail system throughout their workshop that air-dries the jeans. Yes, it may take a little longer than a conventional drier, but the energy savings are huge.

So gushing aside, this post is just more of an educational rant around Outerknown SEA and what’s available, what it’s about, etc. Read on, then head over to OK and buy up. The prices are still a little more than what you might be used to, but you’re buying better and buying something that’s better for the environment. Think of it as helping offset the wetsuits and surfboards you’ve bought…

“We created Outerknown to smash the formula. To lift the lid on the traditional supply chain and prove you can actually produce great looking menswear in a sustainable way.”

– Kelly Slater

Outerknown SEA Product

The Outerknown SEA program started with denim, which is both wild and applause worth. Wild because denim is known as being one of (if not, the) dirtiest categories to manfacture in apparel, and applause worth becuase they (Outerknown) stuck to their guns and made it work.

Noteworthy SEA Product Facts:

*Each pair of Outerknown SEA JEANS saves 267 gallons of water, and the water used goes back into circulation clean enough to drink. Outerknown use 90% less water to make their organic cotton SEA JEANS than similar jeans made with conventional (non-organic) cotton.

*Each Outerknown SEA Tee saves 71 gallons of water. Crazy right? This means 90% less water was used making Outerknown SEA tees than other tees made with conventional cotton and manufacturing practices.

*The Outerknown SEA Pants are made from Spandex (2%) and Organic Cotton (98%). Cotton farming conserves 90% more water compared to conventional cotton. Growing organic cotton also supports the land’s biodiversity by using no pesticides, unlike conventional which is responsible for 25% of the world’s pesticide use.

If you’d like to read up more about the factory that Outerknown uses for the denim, hit this link, it’s a good read about Sanjeev Bahl and his factory Saitex.

Pieces I’m looking at adding to my wardrobe when I can include:
*Drifter Tapered Jeans in Black
*Most of the colours of the Crew Neck Tee
*SEA Shirt in Ember

Outerknown & The North Shore Lifeguards

To help launch the new program of S.E.A product, Outerknown partnered up with 14 Watermen from the North Shore (most of whom are lifeguards) and shot them at Waimea Bay in the summer time when flat waves, clear AF water is abundbant.

The ocean is where these guys work and play and the ocean is something Outerknown covets, and bringing these jeans to the water is testament to just how cleanly they’re made. Captured by Todd Glaser (have you got his book yet?) the underwater photos have a relaxing, yet eery, feeling to them that delivers some a unique angle to showcasing the SEA denim.

For interviews with some of the watermen featured, hit up the OK blog for more. Jaimie Brisick had a chin wag with a few of them, good reading.