Existing in a state of constant growth and evolution, all life forms seem to intertwine and coexist.  To harness the lush textures and deep colors of this inspiring environment, we’ve foraged and transformed an assortment of moss and pinecones into eyewear that exhibits a collage of the forest floor.

A close look into the nooks and crannies of the landscape reveals a hidden world of colors and textures.  To harness the spirit of these coastal  environments we’ve gathered and transformed an assortment of seashells into eyewear that exhibits a collage of the ocean floor.

SEE THE COLLECTION

And then one day I saw you, I stopped and truly looked at you. That was enough, that is all it took, I had found home. I found that point of light to guide me back, a safe place to rest. For me, you exist in a place deep within, under my skin, the hollow in my chest previously unfilled. You are my home.

Read the full story here.

You can view the entire story on the Shwood Journeys site here.

Read below for an inside look at the process behind this truly Oregon grown collaboration.

See the finished product and watch the video HERE.

Shwood x Widmer Brothers – An Oregon Grown Collaboration from Shwood Eyewear on Vimeo.

The main idea behind this collaboration was to create a product that both beer and style lovers alike could cherish. We wanted to develop a beer that was a tribute to the spirit of the Northwest, and allow Widmer Brothers Brewing to be an integral part of the final look of the sunglasses. Thus the process rotates back and forth from the brewery to our workshop, just a few miles apart on the east side of Portland, Oregon.

The story begins in our Portland workshop, with raw oak being resawn using a traditional skipsaw technique – in which teeth are removed from the sawblade to intentionally create a highly textured and grooved surface texture.

At the same time, Widmer was busy brewing the special batch of Upheaval IPA, which would be aged on oak in the later stages of the brewing process.

After the beer finished the malting and hopping processes it was aged on Oak spirals cut specifically for this project by Shwood in our Portland workshop.

Early in the aging process, we set aside some beer to use for the staining of the shades. A custom stain utilizing Upheaval IPA was used alongside malts & hops supplied by Widmer. The ingredients were ground-up and applied to the sunglasses for a truly one-of-a-kind look.

The finished package is something to truly be savored. We carefully considered every aspect to make the Shwood x Widmer package something special. The screen-printed label, the branded bottle opener, and even the beer itself are developed completely custom for this project. Each element is thoughtfully arranged in an engraved crate for a beautiful unboxing experience.

See more of Shaun’s work at www.cargocollective.com/shaundaleyphoto  

Check out some of Steve’s photos below and see his entire photo essay HERE.

See Steve’s full photo essay HERE and see more of his work on Instagram: @usefulinformation

See the full photo essay here.

See the rest of our Journeys series on: journeys.shwoodshop.com

You can find more of Jesse’s on Exposure: photo.mrrw.co or on instagram @jessemorrow

Our founder and designer, Eric Singer, teamed up with Joe Blecha (who formerly has shaped boards for Burton) to lead a few friends in making snowboards 2 winters ago and learned a lot about the process. This past winter, with an even larger crew, they put the knowledge gained from the first experiment to the test.

The first stage of the process involved everyone sitting down together to design their custom topsheet. We worked in Adobe Illustrator to set up the file for the laser engraver. At this point we also placed the order for materials, enough to make six boards total.

Once the raw lumber arrived, we set to work on the table saw cutting down the bamboo and poplar into strips that would later but joined together to create the cores of the boards. The slats were then milled down to a consistent and specific thickness. Bamboo was placed at the center and edges of the core due to its water resistance, rigidity, and flex. Poplar placed in between the bamboo reduced the weight while maintaining strength and pop.

Wax paper was used to prevent the glue from sticking to the clamp and press system. We stepped up our game this time around on the pressing portion of the process after having less than stellar results previously when driving a car on top of the press to provide the necessary pressure.

Once the cores were glued together, they were sanded down and fitted with hardware. The topsheet designs were applied and covered in fiberglass and resin to seal everything together. At this point they were vacuum-sealed and pressed.

Once pressed the boards were cut to their final shape, they were sanded to a clean edge and coated in walnut oil to bring out the natural wood color. Four coats of marine boat deck finish were applied to the top and sidewalls to provide a clean, waterproof seal.

Finally, after a long and intricate process, we were ready to hit the hill. The crew made their way up to Mt. Hood Meadows for a little late season shred.

To see more of Jess’s photos and read about his perspective on the PNW coastline visit shwoodshop.journeys.com.