Founded in the 80s, Globe is a brand well accustomed to life at the leading edge of surf and skate culture.
From adding an air cushion to their classic Rodney Mullen shoe in the 90s to their many critically acclaimed forays into surf film making, the brand has spent 30 years in a constant spin of innovation, maintaining a relevance across the generational divide shared by vanishingly few of its contemporaries.
Photo: @johnrespondek
Even as mediums and movements have shifted, they’ve carved out a place ahead of the curve. Like in the late naughts, riding high off the back of several celebrated full-length surf films, they took the plunge into the fledgeling world of web clips, co-creating TV /Dion – one of the original surfer-run video channels- and dropping Electric Blue Heaven, the first-ever viral wave pool clip. Then as audiences began to yearn again for long-form quality, they pivoted back, releasing Strange Rumblings in Shang-Gri-La in 2014, which was heralded widely as one of the finest surf films of the decade.
While the brand continues to back some of the finest high-performance surfers in the game, 2020 marked another conscious shift in their approach, this time with regard to the way they make and market their threads.
Through their new Low Velocity clothing collection, they are setting out to combat the excessive waste generated by apparel brands, ditching fast-fashion’s seasonal launches in favour of a timeless range of essentials, made from more sustainable materials. The move marked the start of a long-term commitment from the brand to reduce their environmental impact by focussing on the quality and longevity of their products.
Launching the forerunners of the range in Australian last August, Globe co-founder Peter Hill summed up the mission best; “The clutter in the boardsports market and distancing from the real lifestyle and values of core riders was troubling. As founders, we looked at ourselves and thought what role, purpose and reason for being did Globe clothing have? We wanted to realign our entire methodology to represent the way our riders and customers lived and thought. We wanted to tip the whole approach on its head and make stuff we knew had purpose, authenticity, longevity and, most importantly, significantly reduce our waste”.
The range features tees, crews and shirt made from 100% organic cotton, shorts made from recycled polyester and prime puffer jackets, filled with certified down, lined with recycled nylon and wrapped in a recycled polyester shell.
Of course, the clothes still look sharp too, holding true to the brand’s timeless style notes. It’s clear though that their values have evolved. Like the journey of many individual surfers and skaters over the last decade or so, from raucous, hedonistic youths to adults who feel a responsibility to look after the outdoor environments in which we play, it’s still Globe, true to its roots, but just a little more grown-up.
Above: Traveller Crew Neck – Sage & Every Damn Day T-shirt – Natural
Below: Prime Down Jacket – Black
