Category: Lifestyle

Live Aloha in the Badger State. Olukai is at Shepherd & Schaller!

What does it mean to live “Aloha” and can you live it in the heartland?

Our search for products that accent and support your outdoor lifestyle leads us to the most amazing companies.  Brands that begin with integrity and end with generosity, tried and true midwest values.  This season our search lead us to beloved OluKai footwear, whose premium sandals and shoes compliment the sense of adventure we have here in Wausau, Wisconsin, thousands of miles from the ocean.  And so we say Yes! You can live Aloha here, and everywhere.

Our friends at OluKai explain it all:

The Aloha Spirit

While you are on the Hawaiian islands you may hear references to the “Aloha Spirit”.  This is one of the largest signs that Aloha means much more than hello/goodbye.  The Aloha spirit is what we strive for in life, and is a good guideline for treating people around you with love and compassion.

Hawaiians say the best part of Aloha is that the more you express your love and compassion for yourself and those around you, the more it comes back to you.  That is why it has become such a part of everyday language in Hawaii.  That is why people say it when greeting or saying goodbye – they want to perpetuate the feeling so that the Aloha Spirit continues throughout the day.

So we encourage you to make Aloha part of your vocabulary, but please do it knowing the true meaning, so that you can say it with significance and sincerity.

With that, we will say “Aloha” to you and your Ohana!

  • ROOTS

    We view our approach today as part of a path; a journey that started with our ancestors that have passed down stories, values, and spirit. We believe that sustainability and positive living is less about an ethos and more about the choices that you make everyday. It’s about your actions, and inspiring the actions of others.

  • b-corporation

    Certified B-Corporation
    OluKai heritage of good works stems from Hawaii’s cultural value system. Since inception we have consciously guided our business practices with the ideas of:

    Malama – by giving back to our community we support a collective effort greater than our own.

    Island sustainability – those who live where resources are inherently limited naturally adopt practices that are efficient and sustainable.

    In an effort to formalize our business practices we became a Certified B-Corporation in January 2014. We work parallel with 1,000+ other Certified B-Corporations across 33 nations and 60 industries to revive social and environmental performance standards. With our drive, we plan to create change across our communities and economies.

    To become a Certified B-Corporation, we meet the higher standards of social and environmental performance and accountability. We’ve continued to increase our B-Corporation score with the implementation of new processes and procedures, as well as continuing to reinforce our current sustainable business practices.

    OluKai makes the most impact in the following areas:

    1. Community: We are assessed on our relationship with local communities, which includes community service and charitable giving, diversity, and relationships with our business partners.
    2. Environment: We are evaluated on our environmental performance through energy usage, facilities (including manufacturing), materials and other resources. In particular, our selection of only Gold Certified tanneries to source our leather products helps to ensure we minimize waste water, use of water based cements in manufacturing helps to reduce hazardous substances, and lastly building a quality product that lasts longer helps to minimize our manufacturing footprint.
    3. Workforce: We are measured on our organization’s relationship with its workforce, which includes company culture, compensation, employee benefits, training and work environment.

    For more information on B-Corporation, please visit: BCorporation.net
    OluKai’s B-Corporation Profile: BCorporation.net/Community/OluKai

    the-conservation-alliance

    The Conservation Alliance
    As a member of The Conservation Alliance, OluKai partners with others around a common purpose to protect wild places for their habitat and recreation values. We serve as a catalyst and direct our collective nature to seek out grassroots conservation plans.

    For more information on The Conservation Alliance, please visit: ConservationAlliance.com

  • ama-olukai

    Ama OluKai Foundation
    Founded in 2014, the Ama OluKai Foundation is a private, non-profit 501 (c)(3) located in the State of Hawai‘i. The Foundation partners with other committed and progressive organizations interested in the preservation of Hawaiian culture, and honors those who cultivate cultural heritage and the Aloha spirit of Hawai‘i.

    In correlation with other Hawaiian based organizations, The Foundation works to preserve land and ocean, serve our communities, and maintain the Hawaiian culture and traditions. This is conducted through targeted programs designed to explore ancestral past to present day. The Foundation provides encouragement to those who benefit from its partnerships to carry forward the spirit of giving for future generations.

    For more information on The Ama OluKai Foundation, please visit: AmaOluKaiFoundation.org

How to Care for Performance Outerwear

If you bought your outerwear at Shep’s and you’ve worn it around making great memories and looking awesome along the way, chances are it will be time for a wash at some point.

First rule: follow manufacturer’s printed instructions, usually located on a tag inside the garment. Or, visit their website for fabric and care information.  Any manufacturer’s warranty may be nullified if their instructions are not followed.

Second rule of thumb: unless it’s faux fur, don’t take it to a dry cleaner!  Their process and chemicals will ruin your waterproof/breathable garment. Happily, you can wash and maintain your performance outerwear easily  at home whenever you feel it’s time to be refreshed.  If it’s looking dirty or water is soaking through the shell fabric, then it’s a good time to launder it again.

Your performance outerwear has two lines of defense between you and the elements: the DWR finish on the face (outer) side of the fabric, and waterproof/breathable coatings or laminates on the inside of the fabric.  Waterproof/breathable coatings and laminates will last for the lifetime of your garment with proper care.  All such coatings have microscopic pores that are too small to allow liquid water to pass through, but large enough to let water vapor escape.  Dirt and grime can disrupt the waterproofing and breathability by clogging the pores, which lets water soak through and also prevents water vapor from escaping. Careful cleaning and drying will reopen these pores and restore the effectiveness of the coatings.

image: offpistemag.com/nikwax-dwr-treatment/

The DWR (durable water-resistant) finish is applied to the face side of the outerwear fabric, enabling it to resist exposure to ultraviolet light.  If you splash some water on the outside of your garment, the water should bead up and roll right off.  If it doesn’t, then try careful washing and drying to restore the DWR finish.  If careful cleaning does not restore the effectiveness of the DWR finish, you can reapply a DWR finish yourself.  We recommend Nikwax TX Direct, which can be sprayed on or washed in.

 

 

Here’s how to properly wash your performance outerwear to restore it’s appearance and function:

  •  DO NOT DRY CLEAN.  Check the care tag that is attached.
  • Unzip all the zippers and turn your garment inside-out.
  • Wash in COLD water, separately.
  • DO NOT USE FABRIC SOFTENERS OR BLEACH.  Fabric softeners will clog the pores of the garment.  Bleach will ruin it.
  • Use a non-detergent cleanser or very mild powder detergent.  We recommend Nikwax products.
  • Minimize soap usage.  Better few bubbles than many.
  • If you’re using a wash-in DWR restorer, add it to the wash cycle.
  • Use your machine’s GENTLE cycle, or hand wash.
  • Rinse throughly.  Even better, rinse twice.
  • Gently squeeze out most of the water.  DO NOT WRING.  Wringing the water from your garment can cause the waterproof/breathable coating to separate from the inside of the shell fabric.
  • Use a powdered non-detergent cleanser.  Liquid detergent can clog the pores in the waterproof-breathable coating.  If one is not available, use a very mild powdered detergent, and use it sparingly. Powdered detergents rinse more throughly than liquid detergents.  Gently rinse your garment, preferably twice.  If you must use a grocery-store brand, we recommend Dreft detergent, used sparingly.
  • LINE-DRY your garment until it is completely dry.  Do not hang it over a heat source, which can damage the fabric and the coatings.
  • If you want to restore DWR and did not a wash-in type, you may apply a spray-pn DWR restorer after washing.

We Offer Nikwax products alongside our great selection of premium outerwear.

Nikwax Tech Wash, a non-detergent cleanser for most outerwear

Nikwax Down Wash, a non-detergent cleanser for outerwear and mid layers insulated with down.

Nikwax TX Direct, Wash-in or Spray-on.

 

Shep’s Chef is an Artist in the Kitchen: Here’e Our Bike Service Menu

Hungry for bike maintenance and repair that will leave you satisfied?  Shepherd & Schaller has a dish for you!  No reservations necessary.

 

Welcome all cyclists craving quality and experience well as a taste for commitment! Shepherd & Schaller is Wausau’s favorite Outdoor Store and home of Raleigh and Scott bicycles and experts who know how to help you choose the right bike for your goals and budget. When maintenance or repairs are called for, there is no one with more experience than Shep’s.  With respect for the parts and ingredients he uses and finesse for getting the most flavor and performance from each of them, Pete Kohlmoos with the chef you’ll want on the job.

We’re no “fast food” bike shop. Come for the service and stay for the flavor.  You’ll be back again and again.

2017

Your Purchase Makes a Difference When You Shop at Shepherd & Schaller

Shop with us and your purchase does more.  Since 1949 Shepherd & Schaller has supported the greater Wausau area by contributing time, talent, dollars and merchandise to organizations that make our community a wonderful place to live.  You’ve likely been touched by these organizations, or know someone who has.  To name just a few groups we’ve been involved with:

  • Wausau Rotary Club, Wausau Kiwanis, Wausau Lions, Downtown Wausau Action Council, River District Wausau, Main Street Wausau, Central Wausau Progress, Wausau Area Chamber of Commerce, Wausau Board of Education, Grand Theater Foundation, The Women’s Community, Blessings in a Backpack, Festival of Trees supporting Aspirus Comfort Care & Hospice, Ski for Youth, Granite Peak Ski Team, Granite Peak Ski Patrol, Rib Mountain Ski Club, Wausau Nordic Ski Club and countless schools, teams and youth programs.

But you can feel good about your purchase at Shep’s for another reason too.  Many of the brands we stock feel the same way we do about corporate responsibility, recycling, treating people fairly and paying attention to the impact they make locally and globally.

7-26-16-b-d4g-520x520For example, our friends at Toad&Co make awesome clothing you love to live in and they’re thoughtful about the world we live in. Since 1997, every item of Toad&Co clothing sold contributes to creating opportunity for adults with disabilities. Their mission statement says it all: “Our Mission: To lead with integrity and weave optimism into everything we do; To create meaningful change through socially and environmentally smart business; To inspire people to live their fullest lives.”

400x225_fairtrade2Patagonia is a company famous for it’s environmental and social consciousness.  Their mission statement: “Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.”   Visit their website to read about their efforts related to the supply chain, sourcing, Fair Trade and much more.

 

csr_comm_1Arc’teryx is a technical outerwear company known for it’s exquisite quality and craftsmanship. They too values long term thinking on environmental stewardship, responsible manufacturing, and community engagement.

 

 

screen-shot-2016-10-03-at-12-03-39-pmPrana is committed to Fair Trade and Sustainability practices that do no harm.  They have much to recommend if you are into being a Conscious Consumer.