Nau.

technical beauty
fully sustainable goods
and a perfect fit

Who's soapbox have I found myself on Nau, you ask? Why, Nau of course! Nau is a clothing company that focuses on technical clothing that is fully functional from the mountain top to the social scene, yet maintains a fully ecofriendly presence.

From waterproof/breathable shells to reversible polos, the entire line is manufactured from natural materials or materials that have been and can be recycled and reused. Working hard with Japanese textile manufacturers, the line relies heavily on organic cotton, merino wool and recycled materials, such as polyesters that originally came from pop bottles and polymers synthesized from corn.

Based in Portland, Oregon, Nau was founded in 2005 by individuals with strong technical outdoor clothing experience. Their mission, to create sustainable gear that will last and perform in whatever situation presented. The original business model began with their line being offered in company stores and online.

In 2008 Nau had to close shop due to lack of monetary resources. While their retail locations shut down, they continued offering their gear online. Fortunately, a toad in shining armour came along and quickly acquired the brand and brought it back to life in record time.

Horny Toad's acquisition of Nau not only breathed new life into the company, but it provided the capital needed to continue to manufacture their high-end goods for the Fall 2008 clothing season. With the lack of brick and mortar company stores, they continued to sell items from the website as well as from select retail locations, such as Paragon Sports in New York City.

This evening I had the pleasure to interact with Nau and Horny Toad executives as they showcased the Spring 2009 line. Everything about the style and design was on point. Their organic cotton is incredibly soft due to the high quality of yarns used, the wool pieces were not scratchy at all, and their synthetic gear had the softest hand without the traditional crunchy noise of typical rain gear.

The only problem with the line is that I don't have enough money to buy it all! Which is tragic because god damn the clothes look nice. I don't know any homo that wouldn't be able to rock Nau and not look good! This, I swear, would turn any busted fool into someone you'd give a second look at -- only for the simple fact that his style is dumb fresh.

I know I was lookin' good... I had my Kenneth Cole shoes on... My Gianni Versace blue leather suit... My nails were done and my hair was fierce...