Company. Culture. Creativity. Conservation.
Super excited to spotlight a great social movement and brand. They provide so many positive thoughts and plan to keep our wild lands free of trash and available for generations to come. Their gear and mission really make supporting the company easy, and you know your money is going to a sustainable, smart, caring company. Take it away, Scott!
Wild + co is a collection of outdoor enthusiasts with a passion for preserving nature. We started the “Mind the Wild” movement to promote outdoor ethics, support public lands, and provide everyone with a cause worth standing for!
Who are the minds behind Wild and Co.?
A Denver transplant, Scott Sajowitz is the founder of wild and co.
How did Wild and Co. come to life?
Having moved to Denver a few years ago, what struck me more than anything was the prominent conversation regarding the influx of transplants to Colorado and the impact it was having in the mountains. Too many times I heard of over crowded trails, littered campsites etc. Instead of sitting on the sidelines, I wanted to change the conversation and create a way to get people involved.
What made you want to have the brands home in Denver?
Denver is well known for it’s outdoor lifestyle and access to mountains, national parks etc. It’s also experiencing growing pains in terms of overcrowded trails and general abuse of public lands. Spreading a positive message and educating people on trail stewardship principles couldn’t be more valuable in this area.
What was the motivation in combing both apparel and nature?
One of the main pillars of our brand is to get people involved, and educated. But to truly affect change it had to be through a brand that people can relate to and, identify with. There are plenty of brands with outdoor gear, but we want to give people a chance to also show that they actually care about the outdoors as well. So our apparel line ties artistic high end designs with fun/cheeky taglines that inspire a proactive message.
Your campaign is “Mind the Wild” how is your campaign intertwined with your apparel?
Our “Mind the Wild” campaign is the rallying cry for our initiative to make a difference in nature. We designed an entire line of shirts that have eco-conscious messaging for people that want a comfy, high-end apparel line to reflect their values. And proceeds of every shirt or hat purchased go directly towards helping fund our trail clean-up events and towards our tree planting initiative through our partnership with the national forest foundation.
What are your thoughts on the government shutdown, and have there been any challenges in organizing cleanups since the government shutdown?
The government shutdown was a major impact to national parks across the country. Unstaffed parks remained open and were met with a general public that would break rules, go off trail, endanger wildlife, and carelessly leave litter all over the park. Basic services for restrooms and trash pickup were suspended, leaving to some very unsightly build ups. We knew this major crisis was something that we had to try and be proactive about. We actually had conversations with many organizations involved with national parks on how best to approach this situation. While there were some people that would travel to these parks to try and help (which is something we wanted to do), we instead took the advice of parks departments and instead focused on getting the word out to discourage people from traveling to these parks.
We did have a large amount of people reach out to us looking for ways to help out and get involved which we are always thrilled to see!
How do you plan to combat the negative effects of the shutdown?
While the shutdown has ended for the short term, we will continue to work with parks departments to determine the best way to support them. With the outcry we saw from the shutdown, we think that our brand and message is more important than ever and will give people a way to get involved. It also opened our eyes to the incredible reach we have with our online presence, and we have been actively working with more groups, such as the National Parks Conservation Association, on partnerships that would allow us to impact even more projects across the country.
What is the best way someone can help support your brand and the message you promote?
We absolutely encourage everyone to come visit us at festivals & events across Colorado starting this summer. While we are rapidly growing and expanding our apparel in stores across Colorado you can also always find our latest apparel on our website www.wildandco.shop.
And for those that really want to get involved, you can join us at our trail clean-up events that will be taking place in more and more locations across the state. We love meeting fellow nature lovers, and we even encourage the most enthusiastic to join our “wild seeker” ambassador program. Information for all of this can be found on our website, and you can follow us on instagram to always be in the loop on our latest adventures @wild.and.co
When do you plan for the next cleanup, and how can someone get involved in that?
Our clean-ups typically run from April-Dec, and we’ll have an especially cool event planned for Earth Day! Anyone and everyone is welcome to come out, meet some cool new friends, win some prizes, and enjoy the amazing Colorado weather. Follow our instagram page, or sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don’t miss out as they fill up very fast.
What would you like the citizens of Colorado to know about what you are doing with your brand?
We are here to promote a positive message. To change the conversation regarding the growing pains our trails, scenic destinations, and national parks are experiencing. Yes there are problems with over-crowded hikes, littered trails, etc. But this is your chance to take action, spread the message, educate a friend, and let people know that not only do we love our mountains and public spaces, but we’re here to be part of the solution.
Check out their most recent blog post on hiking in Sedona: Click Here
Thank you so much Scott, for providing a deeper look at your business, what drives your passion, and showcasing the importance of conservation. Keep up the great work!
Morggenfrisk 