When eleven-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater launched Outerknown in 2015, the idea wasn’t to build another surf brand. Slater wanted to prove that great apparel could be made using fair labor standards and materials that aren’t harmful to the environment, and that those two things didn’t have to exist in conflict. A decade in, while the iconic Blanket Shirt continues to gain traction as one of the best post-watersports pieces out there, the men’s button-down lineup is a clear statement of his ethical and environmental thesis.
It started with a stack of vintage blankets in a corner of the studio, collected from all over the world, and a question: what would it feel like to build a shirt that felt like wrapping yourself in one? The answer became the Blanket Shirt, Outerknown’s signature piece since the brand’s inaugural 2015 collection. They landed on a lofty organic cotton twill, durable, pliable, and breathable, finished with a chambray-lined yoke and side seams and natural corozo nut buttons. The design hasn’t changed.
From that foundation, the brand lineup has expanded into styles that cover nearly every occasion without losing the thread. The Chroma Blanket Shirt brings that same relaxed weight in a garment-dyed finish. The Artist Oxford leans toward the desk and the dinner table. The Utilitarian Shirt pulls in workwear details and extra pocket real estate.
The Hightide Snap Shirt is beach-ready but polished enough to wear off it. The BBQ Shirt is exactly what it sounds like, in the best way. The Studio Shirt keeps things clean and versatile for wherever the day takes you. We also love the Outerknown shorts for paddling, swimming, and everyday wear.
Ninety-five percent of Outerknown’s apparel is made with Regenerative Organic Certified, organic, recycled, or regenerated fibers. The brand works with two B-Corp Certified suppliers, and has eight facilities running on renewable energy. Their Outerworn resell platform keeps pre-loved pieces in circulation rather than headed for the landfill.
Throw one on after a paddle, wear it to a meeting, pack it for a trip, reach for it again and again and again…