We spent a lot of yesterdays in the studio and in the natural world creating images with our friends to unveil the SPRING 2012 season. It all started at the Oregon Coast—rugged, dynamic, textural. The conditions were perfect: sunny, foggy, and magical with great surf, perfect light, friends, and, of course, the lens.

Mornings started early (at the crack of first light). Six a.m. on day one followed by 7:30 a.m. on day two and three (once we got a hold of what the light would bring). The days were packed with back-to-back locations from beachside to coast range and staged to set the perfect backdrop for our new styles. The evenings were spent reviewing the day’s shots and sharing great homemade food, conversation, local wine and local whiskey (for those who chose to indulge).

In the studio shoot we wanted to bring to life the simple, dynamic presence of each style.

We used part of the same crew from the beach shoot plus Nathan and Mackenzie, our other Nau extended family members. A beautiful contrast to the beach shoot, we captured the simple forms of each style and their graceful presence.

Hope you enjoy the fruits of our efforts.

You can see the behind-the-scenes takes from these shoots here.

Photo by Ben Moon

Photo by Ben Moon

Photo by Ben Moon

Photo by Ben Moon

Photo by Ben Moon

Photo by Ben Moon

]]> http://blog.nau.com/2012/02/07/under-perfect-conditions-the-new-spring-line/feed/ 2 http://blog.nau.com/2012/01/24/monday-board-meetings/ http://blog.nau.com/2012/01/24/monday-board-meetings/#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:19:27 +0000 Leigh http://blog.nau.com/?p=5478 It’s been quiet around the office, but for good reason— winter finally arrived in the Pacific Northwest.

Thanks Jon. Keep on rocking, yourself.

Under the lens. Courtesy of Medical Sheepskins.

No two wools are alike.
Obviously, we’re big fans of wool. As a natural fiber, it’s able to keep you dry and comfortable across multiple environments. However, despite its many benefits, wool continues to get a bad rap. The most common complaints: it itches, it’s too much work, it shrinks. Sure, this was true of old military style wools, but this versatile fiber has come a long way since the days of scratchy coats and stiff blankets. In fact, over the past few years, we’ve developed a collection of wools which are durable enough to withstand the modern washing machine, yet soft enough to be worn next to the skin.

Here’s a quick look at our collection of knit and woven wools, why they work and how you can make them last a lifetime.

Wool, Up Close
If you look closely (see above), wool looks a lot like the surface of a reptile. Jamie, our textile guru, likens it to a rose bush with thorns. These thorns, more scientifically known as scales, are the main culprits in giving traditional wool its abrasive texture. When washed, these scales interlock and become tighter and tighter causing, what we call, shrinkage.

Our wool fibers go through an anti-shrink process which pacifies these unruly scales and allows them to soften and adhere to the fiber, therefore creating a washable fabric which is softer, smoother, and much more pleasant to wear next to the skin.

A Merino Ram offers up some of the softest wool around. Not to mention, they're pretty amazing looking creatures.

Wool Knits

Where you’ll find it: Our M1, M2 and M3 merino collections.
How to make it last: The great thing about machine-washable wool is just that—you can throw it in the washing machine and not have to worry if you’ll end up with a shirt that fits a four-year-old. We recommend delicate or gentle cycle.

Some DON’Ts: No bleach and never, absolutely never use a commercial dryer like those found at a laundromat. As Jamie says: “They’re like pottery kilns. They destroy things.” Best to lay flat to dry (and not on a wood-fired stove either). You can also line-dry.

Wool Jackets

Where you’ll find it: men’s and women’s Highline Jacket, Elimeno-Pea Coat
How to make it last: Since dry cleaning is never a sustainable process, we created a wool that we could wash by hand. Of course, if you’re averse to hand washing or just don’t have the time, look into wet cleaning (also known as green cleansing) which utilizes biodegradable soaps and conditioners.

Otherwise, the easiest thing to do: fill up a bathtub with water and a small amount of soap (dishwashing soap works well). Submerge the jacket and let it soak. After a few hours, give it a shake. That way, you’ll free the dirt that’s been loosened by the soap and water.

Rinse. You can do this in one of two ways: fill up a bathtub with water OR wear it in the shower. We’ve never tried the latter option, but we’re fairly certain it does the job.

And lastly: lay flat to dry. Never hang to dry. Otherwise, you run the risk of getting those unsightly hanger marks.

That’s about it. But if you have any more questions about our wools, feel free to contact us at customercare@nau.com.

To learn more about the sustainability of our wool fabrics, check out our Working With Wool section.

]]> http://blog.nau.com/2012/01/10/the-ins-and-out-of-wool/feed/ 3 http://blog.nau.com/2012/01/03/our-resolution/ http://blog.nau.com/2012/01/03/our-resolution/#comments Wed, 04 Jan 2012 03:22:17 +0000 Leighann http://blog.nau.com/?p=5327

It’s important to note: this back-handed aphorism isn’t one we use cavalierly. In fact, it’s actually an indelible part of our history. Way back before nau was nau, when we were merely a zygote, a Michael Franti t-shirt caught the eye of our founder. In three words, its bold, unapologetic message perfectly captured the idea behind his radically new business model—or more appropriately deemed—his UNbusiness model. His idea: to create a venture that would undo and unravel the damage that traditional businesses have caused the environment and be the first major apparel company built on sustainability.

He borrowed the axiom and distilled it into a single acronym—UTW—which later became the initial name of our fledging company and has since become (and will always be) our modus operandi. So with that said….

It’s no surprise: our resolution is the same resolution we’ve had since we started—to unfuck the world. Some people might think it’s too lofty, a bit audacious, maybe even haughty. But if we stick to miniscule goals and understated intentions then that’s all we’ll ever accomplish. And we’re fairly certain great ideas weren’t built on losing five pounds in a year or drinking one less cup of coffee a day.

Not to demean personal goals, but we tend to believe that people underestimate their own ability to surprise themselves. So they aim low and take it slow hoping that if they make it to the gym three times a week, they’ve reached their yearly potential. But we can do more, so much more.

Just look at some of the Provocateurs we featured last year. Sean Carasso invented a business model to end a war. His nonprofit, Falling Whistles, helps educate the masses and mobilize Peace forces in the Congo—all by selling whistles. Allison Arieff, former editor of Dwell magazine and current blogger for the NY Times is changing the way we think about sustainable design. And Drummond Lawson—part chemist, part wizard—gleans inspiration from natural ecosystems and blends it with science to create cleaning solutions that even mother nature would use.

Of course, they all have one thing in common—they dream big. They don’t just THINK it’s possible to unfuck the world, they KNOW it’s possible. And we do too. We don’t just want to design clothes that work well and feel good and tread lighter on the earth, we want to change the way an industry does business. Yeah, it’s lofty. It’s far-reaching. But we believe it’s possible. And that’s all that matters.

]]> http://blog.nau.com/2012/01/03/our-resolution/feed/ 11 http://blog.nau.com/2011/12/29/let-it-snow/ http://blog.nau.com/2011/12/29/let-it-snow/#comments Fri, 30 Dec 2011 00:16:21 +0000 Leigh http://blog.nau.com/?p=5297

Despite mother nature’s slow start to the snow season, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone in the office this week. Mark, our GM, is enjoying some off-piste skiing in Utah. Tyson and Peter are taking turns at Ski Bowl. Josie’s over in Bend probably causing some mischief on the mountain. And Leigh, well, she’s staring down the steep terrain of the Tetons. She took a break from the mountain to give us the low down on life in Jackson, Wyo.

Even when the snow is low, it’s hard to complain about spending the holidays in the Tetons. Walking through the antler arch at JAC, I couldn’t have been happier to be any other place with my family, 8 adults and 5 kids, to seek some mountain adventures. Over the years I’ve made some of the best turns of my life in Teton Village and on Teton pass, but snow is way down this year and it took a little extra motivation to make the best of this winter playground. In a way, I’ve enjoyed the challenge to seek out a stash here or there, earn my turns in the pass or enjoy a snowshoe in Teton park at sunset. As always, Jackson did not disappoint.

Day 1: we were  a large crew on the mountain. Ten out of 13 on snow—impressive for a crew that flew in from Oregon, Vermont, Florida and Italy.  For the first time in 15+ years, I took my first run of the year with my dad, brother-in-law and ripping eight-year-old nephew. All ages were stoked. Over the next several sunny days, I enjoyed skiing and snowboarding with my four year old daughter, husband, parents and siblings. We made the most of low snow on the mountain and explored the magic of Teton park, enjoyed many après beers at the Moose and shared lots of memorable holiday meals.

Winter wishes from Jackson, and I wish mountains everywhere lots of snow in the New Year!

Oh Dee, how we love thee, with your tool belt and your two-ton jack. You have always inspired us. And we’re honored that you would wear our shirt long enough to have it shred under the weight of your coveralls. You bring a whole new meaning to our motto: “wear it out, pass it on.” Keep up the good work.

For those who might not remember Dee Williams: she traded in her three bedroom bungalow for an 84-square foot house, a toothbrush and a pickup (biodiesel, that is). And for the past six years, she and her business partner have been helping other people do the same. In their business, Portland Alternative Dwellings, they design and build eco-friendly houses small enough to fit on a trailer. We were so inspired by Dee when we first met that we made a short film about her work. In fact, you can still find it on the Collective.

We recently stumbled upon Etsy’s provocative, short film about H.G. “Skip” Brack and his 42-year quest to single-handedly recycle and restore every tool in Maine.  His goal? To help artisans, craftsmen, welders, mechanics—and anyone else who works with their hands—create beautiful things.

Of course, this got us thinking: what was the last thing we built, not for money or merit, but for the simple satisfaction of knowing we handcrafted something beautiful?

Well, it didn’t take us long to discover that, when we’re not working, we’re busy sewing, spinning and soldering whatever we can get our hands on. Here’s a few of our more recent creations:

An entertainment center constructed from a 12 ft. salvaged Douglas Fir log that Tyson impressively milled himself.
An outdoor sofa, table and modern tool shed. Leave it up to Peter, our Design Director, to fume his own fir and weld stock metal to build an outdoor living space.
A sockadile. The name says it all. Jenny, our tech designer, fashioned it out of, what looked like, a rainbow- stripped thigh high.
Wool pants and vest. It’s not surprising that Jamie, our textile guru, spun her own washable wool and hand-knit this toddler get-up.
A galley. Yes, you read that correctly. Mark outfitted his Land Rover Defender with a sink, two-burner stove, fridge and cabinets. Next stop: the desert.
A wedding veil made from Russiun tulle.
Pork tenderloin with pickled kale and cashews.
A snow globe.
A human being.

But we’re curious: what have you put your hands on lately?