![\"templeton\"](\"https:\/\/yobeat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/templeton1.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"Hip](\"https:\/\/yobeat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Hip-Snowboarding-Logo.png\"){kind=logo}
<\/a>![\"flossophy\"](\"https:\/\/yobeat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/flossophy.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"murdermitten\"](\"https:\/\/yobeat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/murdermitten1.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"oms\"](\"https:\/\/yobeat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/oms.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nWouldn’t it be cool to run your own snowboard brand? Not talking about making actual snowboards here, but ya know, the accessories that make up the lifestyle, man. Think about it. You’d get to live and breath snowboarding, make stuff you want and need, hook up your homies and hey, maybe even pay your bills in the process! And there’s totally no bullshit because you don’t have a boss right? Right… The reality of running a small brand in snowboarding may include a few more hiccups and challenges, but that hasn’t stopped plenty of people from going for it. The five brands we chatted with make stuff ranging from outerwear to underwear, and they all hope you’ll be down.<\/p>\n
Click on the images above or the numbers below to learn more.<\/p>\n
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Templeton Outerwear<\/h2>\n
What’s the backstory on Templeton?<\/strong><\/p>\n Thinking about doing stuff and then finally doing it. Fast. Crowbar-ish. People thought we do rocket science.<\/p>\n What\u2019s different about your brand?<\/strong><\/p>\n We shit gold. Plus same answers as everybody else. We’re no different.<\/p>\n No really, why should people support you and not some other independent brand?<\/strong><\/p>\n There are not many independent brands in snowboard outerwear anymore. Especially available in Eurpoe…US is bit different. Uuuh, no…MissionSix is gone, right? All independent brands should be supported by majorities, minorities and the dunnos. Because we independent…and that rules. Spend your money so other people can live and evolve their visions of a “different kinda cloth,” not others…getting incredibly richer and produce gear off the rack. That would take us all further. When it comes to Templeton, our pants are the sickest I’ve ever ridden, seen or touched. Jackets are on a normal base of awesomeness. But the pants…best behind. On top hey look great in grocery stores. The apres-factor is blinding. Nearly 100% Cotton used.<\/p>\n Who are you and why do you think you\u2019re qualified to run a business?<\/strong><\/p>\n We are Marinus Aloisius Jakobus Schuster, Klaus Martin Zenker, Danny Schmidt and Simon Berger. Marinus owns the basement and I (Klaus) lay the roof panels. Marinus got some mad “make-shit-happen-now” skills and is a student of geography…hah. Me just wanna ride and smoke herb, but happened to spend my last 12 years doing stuff for 5ive Skate Shop, QWST and Pleasure Snowboard Magazine. Memorable times\u2026paid my dues. Then we have old friend Designer \u2013 Danny Schmidt for all graphics and Basketball. Formerly chief playa at KIX in Munich. Plus we sell our garments through the experienced hands of RubySoho\u2019s Simon Berger.<\/p>\n What will you do after you get rich off snowboarding?<\/strong><\/p>\n Buy Bull Mountain and burn Ol\u2019 Papa Muntz rye. Plus open a Snowboard-bum-home at Alta Ski Resort. Basically we try to live simply in a complicated world.<\/p>\n http:\/\/templeton-outerwear.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n What’s the backstory on Hip Snowboarding?\u00a0<\/b> For Hip Snowboarding, the thought to start an apparel brand in snowboarding culminated after a few seasons in and around Tirol, Austria. The idea stemmed from our experience of living in a no frills mountain \u201cbarn\u201d that we rented from a local farmer. Laundry, needless to say was rarely, if ever done. When everyone had to huddle in the only heated room that was also used as a drying room, the funk coming off the clothing, mainly the base layers, could be very unsettling. Realizing that there is still a large segment who ride in cotton based thermals because of the comfort from a natural fiber, despite its obvious lack of performance and function, we began our search to find some balance between synthetics (performance) and natural (comfort) fibers that could bridge the gap. In 2011, we setup shop in the Portland area, to get the brand going in the Northwest. We established and continue to work together with a great group of people in the Portland area to create, produce and bring to life a collection of apparel and accessories. We continue to split time in Austria where the concept was conceptualized and continue building upon the base we have over there with our riders, friends and community.<\/p>\n What\u2019s different about your brand?<\/b><\/p>\n The whole snowboard industry is packed with companies, which is great. That creativity, I think, pushes the industry\u2019s progress overall. With this brand saturation, to ensure we have some story to tell that will stand apart from the other companies, we focus our message on utilizing unique materials. Through these materials, we developed a range of apparel and accessories that offer unsurpassed comfort. We create a product that not only performs in riding conditions but is comfortable to the point of being unnoticeable to the wearer.<\/p>\n No really, why should people support you and not some other independent brand?<\/b><\/p>\n Our niche is where the product meets the skin. The rider can instantly distinguish our product from the noticeable comfort. Amongst our other products, the silky feel of the blended Bamboo Rayon\/Spandex fabric used in our Bamboo Base Layers are super comfy, lightweight, and regulate body temp while limiting odor. We really don\u2019t see anyone else in the industry using this material. It\u2019s what separates us from other brands.<\/p>\n Who are you and why do you think you\u2019re qualified to run a business?<\/b><\/p>\n My name is David Fitz, founder of Hip Snowboarding. Before I started Hip, I worked in business development for adidas. The experience provided a solid foundation and understanding for the business side of things. Having that background and working with a small team of some really talented friends has enabled me to build and steadily grow the company. But there\u2019s always going to be a learning curve. Without it, there wouldn\u2019t be any sort of progression as you push to test new means and approaches, conceptualize new products, and materials.<\/p>\n What will you do after you get rich off snowboarding?<\/b><\/p>\n I\u2019d like to say I have some wild plan if, or for when, I get rich. Perhaps I\u2019d look into buying that barn and converting it into some kind of office for Hip. More realistically, I would just continue with what I\u2019m already doing now. I started Hip because it\u2019s something I\u2019m passionate about and feel that with the products offered, we can contribute to the positive growth in this industry. When I do bring in more income, I\u2019ll be pumped to hit up a few more spots over the winter. Otherwise, the majority would just go back into growing the brand, putting on some fun events and prototyping more concepts until we settle on some new ideas that we could roll with.<\/p>\n http:\/\/www.hipsnowboarding.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n What’s the backstory on Flossophy? <\/strong><\/p>\n Flossophy Headwear started about 2 years ago when me and a homie of mine were sick of losing our hats on the hill and riding urban so we started tying drawstrings into our snapbacks because that whole fisherman cap thing just wasn’t for us. After a bunch of compliments and questions about where we were getting these hats I decided to put together a business model, got some people with some deep pockets (deeper than mine anyway) interested and we’ve just been sort of riding the wave out from here, trying to have as much fun as we can along the way.<\/p>\n What\u2019s different about your brand? <\/strong><\/p>\n Aside from the main difference with our hats being the only snapbacks and fitteds around with drawstrings on them, I like to think our core values differentiate us a little bit from most companies out there. With cliques and fads becoming more prevalent than ever in winter sports, we could really careless about them. Whether you are out there in your little sisters snowpants and a denim jacket, or XXXL Special Blend pants (R.I.P) with a t-shirt thats too tall for Wilt Chamberlin, we want you running our product. It’s about the fun for us. So as long as your our there having a good time on whatever it is you are on, with a smile on your face, a Flossophy hat belongs on your head.<\/p>\n No really, why should people support you and not some other independent brand? <\/strong><\/p>\n If there is another independent brand out there that you are stoked on, you aren’t going to catch me telling you to jump ship and come over to our party boat (although, I can tell you, we are getting down over here and the more the merrier) because I don’t know all of those homies and I’m sure there are some out there just as rad as us. What I can tell you though is that if you decide to jump on board with us, you are going to be greeted with open arms along with all the companies you rep. Its a big industry and theres room for a bunch of us, so lets all sync up and rage. If you want to check us out though and see for yourself, check us out on Facebook or on Instagram @flossophyheadwear<\/p>\n Who are you and why do you think you\u2019re qualified to run a business? <\/strong><\/p>\n My name is Corey Palmer. I’m 23 years old. I live up in Kings Beach, CA and I have no degree. I’ve been in the industry since I was 14 years old and have just fallen in love. Aside from my passion and experience in the industry I guess I don’t have many qualifications at all…but hey, at least I’m honest.<\/p>\n What will you do after you get rich off snowboarding? <\/strong><\/p>\n Psh. I have no idea. Getting rich off of this company was never something that I had in mind when I started it. Like I said I have been in the industry a long time, long enough to know it isn’t Hollywood, even with an idea as good as mine haha. My goal is simply to be able to take something I love that for now can only be a hobby and just take it one step further. I don’t need to be living in a mansion partying with Jay-Z, Beyonce and Barack. That ain’t me anyway. I just want to be able to take something I love and make it my life, and enjoy it with my homies.<\/p>\n https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FlossophyHeadwear<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n What’s the backstory on Murder Mitten?<\/b><\/p>\n It all started out of my dorm room about 4 years ago. \u00a0I got tired of people repping Detroit so hard when half of them have never been there and everyone who has knows its a pretty fucked up place. \u00a0Michigan is way more than just Detroit so I wanted to create something that embodied the state as a whole. \u00a0I liked the term “Murder Mitten” but all the clothing brands using it were off some Ed Hardy bullshit and it was nothing I would ever buy. \u00a0So I started messing around with Illustrator and came up with the Murder Mitten Logo. \u00a0I didn’t want to spend any money on stickers or t shirts, so I literally took a stencil of my logo and a sharpie and drew it on a tall t. \u00a0I wore it to a rail jam and kids literally shit themselves when they saw it. \u00a0So I decided to get some stickers made by some random dude I met on the internet. \u00a0I did that for a couple years but it wasn’t until last October that I really got my shit together. \u00a0I got a check in the mail for $1000 that I wasn’t expecting and was faced with the very difficult decision of spending it on booze or buying a vinyl plotter. \u00a0Eventually I decided to take the sober road and just like that Murder Mitten became an official business. I started out by making stickers and realized pretty quick that I could get a specialty vinyl that was heat transferrable to garments. \u00a0I bought a heat press and made a website and the rest is history.<\/p>\n What\u2019s different about your brand?<\/b><\/p>\n I never really set out to be different. \u00a0I just make things that I think look cool and give them to my friends. \u00a0Lucky for me, other people think its cool too and want to buy it off me.<\/p>\n No really, why should people support you and not some other independent brand?<\/b><\/p>\n I’m all about supporting independent brands. \u00a0Honestly, Murder Mitten was a joke that got way out of control. \u00a0I’m happy with making enough money to make myself free hoodies and give stuff to my friends for free. \u00a0I don’t think I have any direct competitors and all the people I know with clothing brands in Michigan I make stickers for and talk to on a daily basis about new ideas. \u00a0Making clothing was never a dream of mine and it still isn’t. \u00a0I get stoked when I see dudes like Mike Harrington with Flanel Lifestyles being successful and actually creating a successful brand. \u00a0I try to help people who are attempting to start their own brands as much as possible too. \u00a0Theres a lot of work that goes \u00a0into running a business and its definitely difficult figuring it all out on your own.<\/p>\n Who are you and why do you think you\u2019re qualified to run a business?<\/b><\/p>\n I’m the kid who just spent a month in Salt Lake blowing up tinder to find a place to sleep and hitching rides up Big Cottonwood to Brighton every day. \u00a0Murder Mitten is a little thing I do on the side that keeps me entertained. \u00a0When I started it I had absolutely no idea what I was doing and it took a lot of hard work to make my operation look as official as it does right now. \u00a0I don’t have any aspirations of Murder Mitten making me a million dollars and I definitely don’t think it will be able to support me. \u00a0However, the lessons I’ve learned from starting this business were way more valuable than any high school\/ college class I’ve ever taken. \u00a0Thats for sure.<\/p>\n What will you do after you get rich off snowboarding?<\/b><\/p>\n Buy Yobeat off of you and burn it to the ground.<\/p>\n http:\/\/www.murder-mitten.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Well, the idea of Moonshine started quite awhile ago. I’ve had various friends who have done some sort of apparel or lifestyle\u00a0brand\u00a0and they always fizzled out as quickly as they started. I found myself on the sidelines helping, and watching things they did that I would’ve changed, and realized that I wanted to start my own\u00a0brand. After that it still took awhile because life happened pretty fucking quick. I had to finish my undergrad, get a job, and now I’m doing my masters, so there’s hardly any free time, or cash. Luckily, Obama started loaning me money in July and I finally had enough to comfortably front a couple product orders on my own without hurting (just don’t tell Uncle Sam his money is funding my startup). I brainstormed names and decided on Moonshine as the company name, got a logo done by this great tattoo artist up in Seattle, and I put in an order. The reason we decided on Moonshine is because the old moonshining days were badass! It connotes a very rustic lifestyle, not just in the outdoorsy sense but urban as well. Shit was pretty grisly back then. Since then it’s been a fun ride. We have tons of friends and industry folks helping us, we really appreciate them!<\/p>\n What\u2019s different about your\u00a0brand?<\/strong><\/p>\n I think that what sets us apart is that we actively promote drinking as a viable hobby…I mean, shit, maybe that’s bad to say, ha. I guess what I mean is that we see drinking\/partying\/boozing as part of our aesthetic, not just something we do on the side. To be more specific that means promoting the dirtier, realer, side of the good times people have. When you go camping in the real world it’s not always peacoats, gorgeous views, and arms-to-the-side poses. Sometimes it’s just you and your buddies drinking Hamms around a fire. That being said, we still support all of it as long as you’re out enjoying yourself. Snowboarding is great because even though the industry is smaller the people are tight knit, super friendly, and they have fun after hours. If all the snow\u00a0brands\u00a0were parts in a movie we’d be the party scenes that roll after the credits.<\/p>\n No really, why should people support you and not some other\u00a0independent\u00a0brand?<\/strong><\/p>\n Simply put, because we’re friendly and we care. There are so many companies chasing the big bucks out there, cutting costs to sell as many of the same t-shirt as they can. We’re not trying to take your money, we’re trying to earn it. That means trying to weave in some innovative, custom product along with the stuff you’d usually see. If you like what we’re doing, that’s awesome, we really appreciate the support. If you don’t like what we’re doing, that’s cool too, we hope you’d tell us why. At this point we’re not taking ourselves too seriously, we’re just trying to have fun, see where it takes us, and be a bigger part of the sport we’ve loved for years.<\/p>\n Who are you and why do you think you\u2019re qualified to run a business?<\/strong><\/p>\n Jesus, I’m really not qualified to run a business at all. Since college all I’ve been involved with is teaching children. I guess managing a bunch of 3rd graders that whine and tell secrets about each other is kind of like running a business. All joking aside though there isn’t much to it so far. It can be a lot of hours doing seemingly trivial things, but when something comes together it’s a very rewarding feeling. You don’t need to be qualified, you need to be passionate!<\/p>\n What will you do after you get rich off snowboarding?<\/strong>![\"templeton\"](\"https:\/\/yobeat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/templeton.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\nHip Snowboarding<\/h2>\n
![\"hipsnowboarding\"](\"https:\/\/yobeat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/hipsnowboarding.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\nFlossophy Headwear<\/h2>\n
![\"FLOSSOPHY\"](\"https:\/\/yobeat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/FLOSSOPHY.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\nMurder Mitten<\/h2>\n
![\"murdermitten\"](\"https:\/\/yobeat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/murdermitten.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\nMoonshine<\/h2>\n
![\"moonshine\"](\"https:\/\/yobeat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/moonshine.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nWhat’s the backstory on Moonshine?<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nWell one option is that I’d quit snowboarding and sell the remaining stock of Moonshine to Zumiez shareholders. From there it would turn into a Zumiez house\u00a0brand\u00a0that does collaborations with hackey sack companies and sponsors snowskate-affiliated Sublime cover band concerts. The other option is that, if this did turn into something I could make my full time job, I’d enjoy it and try to stay true to how we started. Giving back to community companies, events, riders, is something we’d love to do once we can fund it, especially if this ever takes off. Until then we’ll be busy working our asses off enjoying good drinks, and good friends. Cheers!<\/p>\n