Sat 12 Dec
Small Stories: The Critical Slide Society.
As part of our Afterpay Small Stories content series, we caught up with Sam Coombes, one of the founders of The Critical Slide Society, to find out more about the brand’s story.
Today, The Critical Slide Society is a popular surf-wear brand creating Australian-designed apparel including boardshorts, t-shirts, headwear and accessories. But wind back more than 10 years to a small beach town on the east coast of Australia, and the brand has more humble beginnings.
Mates and founders of TCSS, Jim Mitchell and Sam Coombes, originally met when working together in a previous life. Both loved the surf lifestyle, but had a similar belief that there was something missing in the industry; there was a focus from most surf brands on being a competitive surfer, not about the passion behind surfing. That’s where Sam and Jim felt they could create a difference.
'We wanted to build something that was about the celebration of being in the water, getting together and having a good time, and getting back to the roots of what surfing is about, not about the competitive nature of the sport.'
How it all started.
TCSS first came to life as a blog in 2009, where the guys built a community of like-minded people, including surfers, photographers, artists and musicians who all had a similar idea of what surfing was about and shared a passion for the beauty of being in the water and enjoying the sport of surfing.
What happened next was the result of natural growth, rather than an end-game plan. ‘After the blog, we started to develop a couple of boardshorts and t-shirts. That quickly steam-rolled into full collections, turning a hobby business into a brand.’
For Sam and Jim, TCSS continues to be about building a community of like-minded people. From the surfers and artists they work with to the TCSS team, they want everyone to feel part of something. The brand is known for its bold and interesting designs, and finding the artists behind the designs is a really organic process.
‘Whether it’s an email that lands in our inbox from a passionate artist, a referral from someone we already work with or a mate, or stumbling across amazing artists on social media, there’s no defined way we find artists. Instead, it’s about discovering them through our community of people who share our passions. TCSS is all about bringing together surf, art and design.’
The products we're all amped about.
TCSS is probably best-known for their boardshorts; in fact they’ve won awards for their designs for three years in a row by STAB magazine. ‘I think that probably has a lot to do with the fact that we get input and feedback from the people we work with, as well as our boardshorts being really different to other brands when it comes to the design, artwork, fabric and fit.’
Each season’s collection has a new theme. ‘We collaborate with different people for the collection. All collaborators we work with have a commonality in direction.’
When it comes to picking favourite TCSS products, Sam quickly reels off his three top picks. ‘I love our Mixed Tape Boardshorts, our printed woven shirts (the Crucial Shirt from this season in particular), and our printed tees, which are a great canvas for art.’
For the public vote, the Jumbled Wetsuit Jackets, the Institute logo caps, and the Plain Jane Boardshorts are top contenders for most popular TCSS products.
What the future holds.
The future for the brand is all about getting back to their roots, as well as building on their sustainable approach.
About five years ago, the team at TCSS decided to start creating more consciously and sustainably. ‘We made the decision that every single season we’d improve one aspect of the business,’ says Sam.
‘Five years down the track and we now use 100 per cent recycled cotton for our t-shirts and recycled nylon and polyester for a lot of our boardshorts. All of our bags for our products are made from cornstarch, which is compostable, and we’re trying to off-set our freight transport where we can. Every season we’re making steps and inroads into being a much more sustainable business.’
No matter where the path takes them, Sam says the essence of the brand will always remain the same; to work with a community of like-minded people. ‘That is the foundation of the brand, and something we will always stay true to.’
Sam's quick-fire questions:
- Where do you love to surf?
Keramas in Bali, Noosa in Australia, and Malibu in the USA.
- Where do you love to holiday in Australia?
Jervis Bay on the South Coast of New South Wales, Noosa in Queensland, and good old Byron Bay. I know, I know… all pretty obvious stuff. But there’s a reason they’re popular!
- What gets you up in the morning?
My 2 year old son.
