Allbirds and Goodlids join forces for a nature-driven collaboration

DANE WATSON Yeah, for sure! I guess I wanted to start a business. I was fresh out of university, and there were a lot of exciting things going on in the market — Allbirds being one of them. I was super inspired by what I was seeing in the sustainability space, and I narrowed focus onto headwear being a product that I understood well, and I thought it hadn't really been done with a super considered or sustainable approach that really resonated with me. So, I had this idea — and the idea took on a lot more shape, and form, and meaning. We (Dane and brother/co-founder Clay Watson) landed on hemp being the fibre we were keen to work with. And I guess that's where the lightbulb moment went off. We saw the hemp story, and with it, a real opportunity to kind of bring that fabric into the mainstream, as it were. At the time — this was six years ago; it's come a long way since then — it was still significantly under-represented as a fabric choice, despite having all sorts of fantastic qualities as a crop and fabric. I saw this opportunity, and it breathed life into the idea. That's kind of the genesis of how it all started. We haven't looked back; it's been cool. 

DW Starting at the crop itself, the hemp crop is fantastic for industrial use because it's not a thirsty crop, so it doesn't take up a lot of water — much, much less than linen or alternative natural fibres. That's a huge positive, particularly in the current climate. The yield and the diversity in terms of suitable growing environments make it really useful as a supplementary crop for farmers. It's also a really useful tool during the off-season for farmers; if they've got a crop that they're growing — like corn— in the off-season, they can grow hemp, and it's really effective for soil regeneration as well. And the most important thing on the crop side is the amount of carbon it sequesters — or absorbs from the atmosphere — which is super monumental. It sequesters pretty much four times as much as a similar-sized plant or tree. As a fabric, we typically blend it with cotton for the sake of how it feels and performs. When blended with other fibres, hemp adds a really interesting antimicrobial property — so it doesn't stink as much as a polyester t-shirt. It's super-breathable and super-durable, and it's quite a strong natural fibre. We're really stoked to be at the forefront of innovation with hemp fibre.

DW The core of what we are trying to do is actually make the best product. We have this real mission with hemp, and we've stayed committed to that and will continue to do that. What it's all about for us is how we can make the best fabric and best product that we possibly can. Because the interesting thing is, there are so many different pillars of sustainability. One of the pillars is actually that the most sustainable product is a product that lasts, is a staple of your wardrobe, and can be passed down for generations and repaired. So I guess for us, when we're designing a product and, like you say, there's a sea of trends and all sorts, we're making sure that it really is true to our values — is this something we want somebody to find in their parents' wardrobe in 25 years' time, and can still wear, and pass down even further? That's why I think brands like Allbirds do really, really well.

DW Yeah, it's a really good point. What I will say, is that I think that sustainability is an ongoing journey. If you're not being straight up about that, it's a problem. Allbirds are at the front of what it means to be sustainable, and they've obviously led the charge in a really big way. We're super pleased to be alongside them in that respect. In terms of greenwashing, it's been really interesting in the way that it has played out in the last five years, in terms of seeing a lot of brands that have had those intentions but haven't followed through. It's a real balancing act. But like you say, as long as you are 'walking the walk' and striving and making progression on an ongoing basis. I would say that we operate in a different sphere from Allbirds — they're sort of 'top of class' with things like their supply chains — but we are still striving, and the intention is definitely there.

DW Oh — so many things attracted me to work with Allbirds! Like I say, it's a very formative brand in our journey, in terms of seeing a brand with New Zealand DNA perform, and grow, and become a global brand. But, you're absolutely right — those inherent sustainable values and consideration for nature and the outdoors are so aligned. But then, I also think we position ourselves as brands that want to exist alongside the natural world, in the natural world. I think that really resonates, and there's some really nice alignment in that respect.

DW It's almost been 12 months. These sorts of things definitely take time — from initial contact to understanding there might be something there. And of course, when you make contact with a brand like Allbirds, it's just great to have that connection. And when they signalled interest in the possibility of working with our brand, we absolutely jumped at the opportunity. It's super exciting.

DW The artist that we worked with for this project is a guy named Sam Baker— he's also known as Vacation Studio — he designs the Pals cans and stuff like that. I guess our process was that we discussed what the collaboration would look like and what the synergies were. Then, in line with both brands, we briefed Sam. He brought it to life in a really awesome, playful way that he has become known and loved for.

DW Ooh. I like the cream and green hat. It's sick.

DW Yeah, that's a great question, and I'll try to answer it super quickly. Yes, there's a lot. We've got one eye on our home in Auckland. We are really keen to foster and grow our Auckland community — in a meaningful way through general connection, and connection to the outdoors. So, expect to see a lot of that, and our store becoming a hub for our community. And we've also got one eye offshore. Last year, we did a pop-up in London, in Shoreditch, which was an amazing success. We're really keen to continue developing that market and other markets overseas, as we take what hopefully is another New Zealand success story to the world.