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Yuki Threads
Ethical Snowboard Apparel
& Accessories
To find out more about how Yuki Threads got its start and what’s in store for the future, Matt interviews Yuki Threads co-founder, Luke Mitchell
More about the episode
Matt sits down with Yuki Threads co-founder Luke Mitchell. Yuki Threads makes Technical Snowboarding apparel with a HUGE emphasis on sustainable manufacturing and the snowboarding community at large.
Luke Mitchell, (or as his friends call him, Mitch), and his co-founder Lani started Yuki Threads as a simple way to keep doing what they loved most, snowboarding. After a successful run of hoodies, Mitch started to ask the right question to solidify Yuki Threads as a future household name. He took a step back and asked, “How can we do this better?” rolled up his sleeves, and started his journey coming up with an answer.
Building Yuki Threads wasn’t just a journey to create apparel but, to make technical outerwear that was made responsibly. He dove down the manufacturing rabbit hole to make sure that virtually every step of the way was as sustainable as possible. Mitch brought his adventurous spirit with him throughout the process, literally visiting every stage of production, traveling through India, building real, meaningful, relationships. All in the name of preserving the integrity of Yuki Threads. Sustainable manufacturing is far from anything they’d compromise and a keystone for what the brand has been built on. For the snow industry, and the Fashion industry especially, this level of detail is something that’s unheard of.
At the end of the day, it isn’t just building a cool brand, it’s about making products that mean something and doing things the responsible way, that’s built around a community and can actively give back to the sport of snowboarding and snow sports as a whole.
In this episode of Built On Passion, Luke Mitchell shares his approach for tracking down the right manufacturing partners, how he dove headfirst into a brand new industry and came up swimming, and the how and why behind Yuki Threads.
Have an opinion? We want to hear it! Join the conversation and leave a comment, check out show notes, and get all the links mentioned in this episode below
Key Points From This Episode:
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An introduction to Luke “Mitch” Mitchell and Yuki Threads.
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How Yuki Threads satisfied a gap in the market and his passion for snowboarding.
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How his naivety about the fashion industry served him as he built his business.
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The process of transitioning from simple apparel to sustainably made technical outerwear.
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Find out why Mitch says he viewed the supply chain as just another adventure.
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The importance of building relationships with manufacturers and familiarizing yourself with every stage of the life cycle of your materials.
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Focusing on interpersonal connections and real-life interactions in a hyperconnected world.
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Breaking down barriers by fostering a sense of community and focusing on having fun.
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Learn more about Yuki Threads’ partnerships with Upparel and Eden Reforestations Projects.
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The sustainability challenge that end-of-life represents and how Yuki Threads addresses it.
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Mitch’s philosophy that, if you can do it better, then “better” becomes the new normal.
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Hear about Yuki Threads’ grassroots approach to brand awareness and marketing.
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The benefits of meeting consumers where they are in their sustainability journey.
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Mitch speaks candidly about the complicated relationship he has with the fashion industry.
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Why he believes it’s important to focus on the journey rather than the destination.
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What Mitch would change about the snowboarding industry if he could only change one thing: shifting to renewable energy.
Links/Resources:
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What do you think of Yuki Threads.? Leave a comment below to let us know!