THE CASCADIA COLLECTION — The Pacific Northwest

As wildfires rage throughout the American West, uprooting communities, devastating natural spaces, and corrupting our air and water, a reevaluation of our relationship with the world around us is more pressing than ever. Years ago, we made a commitment to Protect Wild, Forever—to prioritize the environment's health in every aspect of our business. We've made great strides towards that goal, and we're still working hard to learn more about how we can lead the industry towards holistic Responsibility.

 

One concept we've encountered on our Responsibility journey is bioregionalism. At its core, it's an acknowledgement that man-made borders do not adequately account for any given ecosystem's interconnectedness—a bioregion's plants, animals, and even its human inhabitants share deep connections regardless of how maps divide them. The Cascadia bioregion, perhaps the most widely known example of this theoretical framework, is particularly fascinating to us. Stretching from the northern reaches of our home state of California up through British Columbia and into southern Alaska, this bioregion contains a massive network of interconnected flora, fauna, and communities of people.

The incredible grandeur of this one-of-a-kind landscape serves as a direct inspiration for each piece in our Cascadia Collection. There's something uniquely awe-inspiring about the Pacific Northwest—the trees are taller, the coastline is jagged and unforgiving, and many of its most miraculous sights are accessible only to the most intrepid explorers. It's a place that demands respect, and as such this collection consists of rugged, burly gear that can withstand its most treacherous features—and coexist harmoniously with its beauty. A perfect example: The Decker Jacket, a new silhouette inspired by a once-in-a-lifetime vintage find that our co-founder Mike Maher made during a visit to his folks in Maine last year. Built to the same specifications as its century-old inspiration, The Decker Jacket is a robust, weather-resistant garment that we developed specifically to survive the harsh wilderness of Cascadia.

Indeed, every aspect of the collection—from our function-focused designs to the materials we sourced to the color palette we adopted—has been informed by the Cascadian landscape. Beyond natural beauty, we wanted to pay homage to the pioneering spirit of the region—to imbue our pieces with the spirit of adventure that the earliest newcomers to the region must have felt as they first explored its pristine wilderness. We're incredibly proud of this collection, and we cannot wait to unveil the last of the products this month.

At the end of the day, learning about bioregionalism has deepened our commitment to Responsibility, and it has demonstrated that nothing we do—as a business, as individuals—exists in isolation. A supply chain is only as strong as its weakest link, so we’ve worked hard to cultivate seed-to-sew practices that strengthen our core commitment to protecting the environment. That’s why our Heavy Bag collection uses 100% recycled and upcycled materials, why our Après Hoodie uses a blend of organic cotton and eco-certified hemp, and why our denim factory uses 100% recycled water. In fact, the vast majority of our products are made using earth-friendly materials, in factories that have world-class labor and environmental standards. Of course, we're not stopping there—we're excited to learn more, to refine our processes and to develop a truly borderless approach to Responsibility.

Our Cascadia Collection is more than just a tribute—it's a bold continuation of our all-encompassing efforts towards Responsibility, and as such it draws inspiration not only from the awe-inspiring beauty of the bioregion for which it’s named, but also from the idea that the connections between these ostensibly discrete places are worth understanding. The fires that are ravaging the Western United States pay no heed to the lines on the map, and if we are to overcome them—and to Protect Wild, Forever—we too must look beyond imaginary borders and work together to build the world we want. Top-to-bottom, seed-to-sew, all hands in—let's do this.

THE CASCADIA COLLECTION — The Pacific Northwest