“Outerknown was really born out of an idea to expand creatively with clothing. I had a lot of ideas that maybe couldn't be implemented in the situations I was in before, and wanted to be free to do those, even though starting clothing line is not the easiest thing in the world” – Kelly Slater

What started as Kelly Slater’s desire to expand creatively with clothing became something bigger: a challenge to rethink not only the products we make, but how they’re made. From the beginning, Outerknown set out to smash the formula and build with the highest regard for People and Planet. To protect natural resources, empower the people crafting our clothes, and prove that a clothing company could hold itself to a higher standard.

11 years later, Kelly sits down with longtime friend and filmmaker Taylor Steele to reflect on the journey, the lessons we learned, and why we’re still committed to smashing the formula.

True greatness isn't built on a single accomplishment. It's built through a collection of defining moments. In the spirit of ‘smashing the formula,’ we’re celebrating 11 years of Outerknown—through 11 defining moments—because 11 is a pretty important number for us…

Outerknown was created to smash the formula of how clothes are made and to inspire your human adventure. Co-founded by 11x World Champion surfer Kelly Slater and Creative Director John Moore, the actual name ‘Outerknown,’ references the furthest reaches of what we know possible today. As designers, it pushes us to build better and more responsible products. As producers, it forces us to lift the lid on our supply chain, bringing the customer along on our journey of transparency. As storytellers, it enables the concept to always evolve and never get stuck in one place. And as global citizens, it begs us to blaze our own trails, always going a little further around the next bend or traversing the next peak to Find Your Outerknown.  

We were Fair Labor Association (FLA) accredited before we even sold a stitch of clothing. This accreditation independently recognizes our commitment to fair wages, safe working conditions, and protecting workers' rights throughout our supply chain.

In 2015, the Original Blanket Shirt was born. What started with a stack of vintage blankets in the corner of our studio has become the undisputed hero of our collection ever since.

The Original Outerknown Blanket Shirt is the kind of shirt that makes your body smile, and offers an instantly lived-in, vintage-soft feel the second you throw it on. Featuring a design unchanged since the beginning, it’s woven with the softest 100% organic cotton BlanketWeave™ twill, using tagua corozo nut buttons foraged straight from the forest floor. 

In 2018 we launched SEA JEANS. The ocean is in our DNA at Outerknown and SEA JEANS are infused with that restless spirit of the sea, made to travel with you, age with you, and stay in harmony with nature, wherever you go. Partnering back with Candiani Mills, widely considered the best denim mill in the world, it’s all about the details, from the hardware and back patch to the stories printed on the pocket bags. They’re also made from organic cotton, using carefully selected fabrics, and, where it makes sense, just the right amount of stretch.

In 2019, we expanded our vision by launching our Women’s collection furthering our mission of designing beautifully simple, feel good clothing that enables our community to thrive in their passions and pursuits.

In 2021, we teamed up with our friends at Bureo for their NetPlus® material made from recycled fishing nets, collaborating to provide fishermen end-of-life solutions for discarded nets. To date, we've helped keep over 14 million pounds of plastic out of the ocean. 

In 2022 Kelly Slater’s incredible Pipeline Pro victory marked a defining moment in both his career and our shared pursuit of greatness. Just days before his 50th birthday, Kelly defeated Hawaiʻi's Seth Moniz to claim his eighth Pipeline title—30 years after winning his first event at the same wave in 1992. It was also his 56th Championship Tour victory, extending records that may never be matched.

In 2023 Outerknown became part of a very small group of brands proudly using Regenerative Organic Certified® Cotton across our assortment which comes from a select group of farmers that work toward the highest organic standards.

In 2025, the greatest surf trunks on earth got even better with the redesigned APEX Evolution Trunk by Kelly Slater. We dialed in the details and delivered on Kelly’s precise design requests, and with our minds always on the ocean, we incorporated Bureo's NetPlus® material made from recycled fishing nets collected off the coast of Chile, too.  

In 2026 we introduced The Kelly Slater Collection, our pinnacle of elevated essentials built to pack lightly and live fully. Or as Kelly puts it: "l've spent a lot of my life traveling around the world with everything I need in one bag. So, when I pack, I expect more. More versatility, more durability; more purpose. Less pieces, more places. That's the philosophy behind this collection: designed to pack not a lineup of endless options, but a refined system of elevated essentials, built in the most responsible way possible. What we came up with is a range that lightens the load and frees you up to focus on what matters most. The moments in the water-and all of life outside of it."

“What’s next? Discovering, growing, reflecting, refining, imagining, inspiring your Outerknown.” - Kelly Slater