Summer Dress Sense: Outerknown

From winning 11 world titles, being the highlight in many cult surf films, dating a number of high profile celebrities and engineering the best wave pool the world has seen, Kelly Slater has been a busy man over the years.

As the ocean is his playground and a place that he holds dear to his heart, his apparel range that launched last year is still knocking out some magical pieces to add to your wardrobe.

If you’re new to the Outerknown label, designer John Moore captures the ethos rather well:

‘We’re surfers who grew up with surf brands, but we grew out of logos. And we want to wear clothing that’s made better, fits better and looks better.’

The made better reference is all about sustainability.

The brand likes to reuse materials, with a huge focus on Econyl, a product made out of used fishing nets and nylon.

Slater and the Outerknown team also make sure their clothes are made by people that are in safe conditions and paid a fair wage.

On the whole, the brand rocks. It sticks out from the noise by being totally transparent when it comes to how their product is made. Even the labels on the shirts dissolve once they touch water, cutting any waste from the product itself.

But don’t take my word for it, check out these banging new pieces that are just begging to be apart of your everyday:

These Oxfords have just hit the store and made from organic cotton.

These fresh shirts are made with that same organic cotton. That cotton stays away from using pesticides and cuts water use. So it’s pretty much magic.

Lastly, these prints make up a run of shirts that feature the hands of the people who make them. It’s quite an acknowledgement.

If you’re keen to check out the full range, navigate over HERE

words by ben stephens