Meet the Family: Sherpa Adventure Clothing

Meet the family: Sherpa. A small brand can change the world.

Sherpa, by it’s own definition, is a modern brand with ancient wisdom. It weaves together the latest designs and technology with the rich heritage and time-honored beliefs of Nepal.  They focuse on providing economic and social stability to the people of Nepal through steady employment, quality working conditions and educational opportunities for future generations. As a Sherpa-founded company, the adventure clothing produced embraces technical materials and designs, passes grueling tests in the Himalayas, and weaves a rich heritage of humility into every garment.

“Our footprint may be small, but the Sherpa heart is big with belief that a modest brand can lift people up, train and educate the next generation, even help reverse the ravages of poor governance and a changing environment,” they say.

At Shep’s, we respect the values, wisdom and experience that Sherpa shares. They match our own.

Meet the Family: Kupilka Dish Ware and Cutlery is at Shep’s

Meet the Family: Kupilka
 
Support nature with a cup. KUPILKA – Adventurer’s Great Companion – products are made from their very own biomaterial with EKOenergy. (Hint: it’s mostly wood! That’s something we can appreciate here in the Northwoods right?)
 
The Finnish company’s products are made from natural fibre composite which favours the use of renewable energy sources. The wood for the material comes from the certified forests in Finland. Both the products and the material are manufactured in Finland using EKOenergy. Kupilka one of the first companies in the world to start using green electricity? The wide operating temperature of the product (-30 °C – 100 °C) together with the resistance of the material ensures durability and a smaller carbon footprint. At the end of the life span the products can be recycled, incinerated for heat energy or returned to the manufacturer for re-use. KUPILKA packaging is made from recycled cardboard which can be recycled or burned. So cool!
 
Like the other brands we choose to partner with, Kupilka invests in it’s employees and community, locally and globally. Check out their site to learn more and visit us to shop this unique dish ware and cutlery only at Shepherd & Schaller in downtown Wausau.
 

Meet the Family: Shep’s Has United by Blue Clothing and Bags

Meet the family: United by Blue
 
United By Blue is a water-friendly brand of apparel that removes a pound of trash from oceans and waterways for every product sold. And though the nearest ocean is very far away from our home in Wausau, the health of our waterways is something we can all appreciate.
 
UBB says “We created this company because we wanted to make a bigger, more measurable impact on our oceans and encourage people to do the same. So we stopped simply writing checks and started organizing and hosting these cleanups. We wanted to do our part to clean the waterways ourselves. The amount of plastic waste in our oceans and waterways is mind-boggling: 8 millions tons of plastic enter oceans each year. Plastic bottles alone make up 1.5 million tons of plastic waste annually. Plastics and other litter ultimately end up in the world’s gyres, or circulating ocean currents, and can turn into dense vortexes of trash. The most famous marine trash heap, The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, is twice the size of Texas.
 
That’s also why we take the care to create products that use responsible materials (like recycled polyester, which reuses plastic bottles so they won’t wind up in gyres). If you’d like to help, we’d love to see you at our next cleanup.”
 
We’re proud to partner with UBB and buying an awesome piece of their clothing (often of organic cotton) or gear bags (canvas or tech fabric)  is an easy way to lend support. Shep’s is Wausau’s home to United by Blue.

Meet the Family: Aventura Clothing

Meet the family: Aventura Clothing

Are you a fan of fashions in stores like Urban Outfitters? If so, you’ve love Aventura (who makes styles for UO.) We like them because they pay attention to the big picture, most specifically with their commitment to sustainability and giving back.

They say “We’re passionate about creating fashionable and comfortable clothing with low environmental impact. Look for the leaf icon to easily find styles made with sustainable or lower impact materials” and “We’re committed to giving back to our communities and making them a better place to live for all. We’ve partnered with food banks across the country and a unique non-profit for women to offer a hand up to those who need it most.”

Sustainable style begins with the right fabrics. With the use of organically farmed cotton, Aventura Clothing supports avoiding the use of chemical pesticides, synthetic fertilizers and genetic engineering. They track organic cotton from the farm to their factories to ensure they are always working to reduce their footprint. Today, over 75% of their styles use lower impact or sustainable materials.

You’ll feel good about Aventura’s fashions and fits, especially their Organic Cotton styles, which are our favorites. Shep’s is Aventura’s only home in Wausau.

Meet the Family: Prana is at Shepherd & Schaller

Meet the Family: Prana

No one does athleisure like @Prana, and we’re proud to be their home in Wausau. Visit their site to learn more about their commitment to Sustainability, Responsibility, Traceability, Fairness and Giving Back. We like the way they operate and you will to. Here’s what Prana says, it’s why we partner with them to support your active lifestyle:

“We go out of our way to ensure the impact we make on the world is mostly confined to our aesthetic. By using materials and partnering with companies and factories that adhere to strict guidelines for safety and efficacy, we’re able to make the beautiful and functional products we love, in a way that we can all feel good about.”

Visit Shep’s for Prana’s beloved sportswear, dresses, yoga fashions and accessories. You’ll be back for more.