Our Mission
Like most websites, ours has a link to "our story." But how many actually take the time to explore pages other than the homepage and the shopping pages? Most visitors stay around for 15 SECONDS OR LESS!!! That's not even enough time to read everything on the homepage! So we thought we'd use this week's blog post to reiterate why we (Downstream and all of its fans and visitors) come together.

From the "Our Story" page:
Downstream (DNSTRM) Adventurewear is a fly fishing-inspired line of casual and outdoor wear for any nature-loving enthusiast. We live by a certain mantra and a higher standard…we are not conquerors of nature, but lovers of her essence. We are not here to tear her a new a**hole, but to align with her perfect rhythms. We do not take without first giving and understanding her balance. We do not own the animals and the elements, but are the same as them, a part of it all, and in awe of the vastness that surrounds us and reminds us of our true insignificance.
After a decade of guiding fly fishing, destination trips, and almost thirty years of fly fishing know how, the idea was sparked. Born and bred on the rivers of Montana and Idaho, the notion for Downstream came to fruition when it was realized that life should feel like a flowing river....with relative ease, purpose of course, and building momentum...not a fight against a raging current.
DOWNSTREAM ADVENTUREWEAR EXISTS FOR THREE REASONS:
1-To appeal to the outdoors-person who craves a little more fashion-forward thinking
2-To create a deeper consciousness and understanding of the power and importance of nature
3-To offer a belonging to community with like-minded individuals
To appeal to the outdoors-person who craves a little more fashion-forward thinking
Downstream Adventurewear is for the adventurer who cares a little more about clean, modern fashion. It is for the person who wants something other than what the current market offers, something more. It is for the person who wants to draw a connection between nature and clean/current trends and, while earth-tones are sometimes relevant and purposeful, isn’t afraid to add a vivid splash of color here and there.
Have you ever found yourself buried amongst the troves of “outdoor clothing companies” only to find that one company’s messages appeal to your senses while their clothing does not? Maybe vice-versa? Or perhaps that if you buy from company A, you’re sending this certain message about “who you are” or if you buy from company B, it’s this....? Downstream Adventurewear seeks to weave together a sense of forward-thinking fashion AND ideals into our community of like-minded, forward-thinking, fashion-knowing individuals who seek nature for its connection to a higher consciousness.

To create a deeper consciousness and understanding of the power and importance of nature
Nature is a powerful entity. To understand this, we must put aside our human ego and step outside our innate sense that we are masters of everything. Nature is often romanticized and for good reason. She is beauty and grace and power and mystery and connection to the energy that creates worlds and holds them together....massive mountains and raging rivers and impenetrable forests and crashing waves...the solid rocks, the lush meadows, the parched and cracked deserts, the silky beach sands...this is exactly why many of us choose to retreat into her gracefulness. It is the same energy that creates life and maintains it...fish-laden streams and seas,the plains-wandering herds, the predators that hide in the shadows. It is why some of us choose to pursue things that do not come from the grocery store. In whatever capacity we choose, we choose to leave the unnatural rhythms of human construct behind (if just for a weekend) and seek solace and refuge in her natural ways. You can feel it in your soul...it centers us. For this she demands our attention.

To offer a sense of community and belonging with like-minded individuals
“Life should feel like a flowing river....with relative ease, purpose of course, and building momentum...not a fight against a raging current.” Our basic philosophy is simple: Alignment....with with nature and with self. This is how we seek balance. That isn’t to say that life will or even should be problem free. We, in essence, choose the set of problems we want to tackle in life. If we are in alignment with who we are or are meant to be, problems aren’t really problems but simply tasks that bring us satisfaction and accomplishment. Struggle shows us contrast...what we want and don’t want. It is a part of choice and even of freedom.
So, we seek our tribe, our community who rests on the notion that life, it’s choices, its relationships, should feel purposeful and meaningful and flow with relative ease. We seek nature for her sense of balance and regeneration and power and beauty. We meet our like-minded seekers there...in nature…in communion, in rest, in adventure, and feel the need and the pull to be there as much and as often as we can.
Spreading the ideas behind the Downstream way is our mission. This is why we exist. This is our daily life.
See you out there!
-Nic
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