A pinch of hiking, a sprinkle of biking, a pot of California and a jug of Sweden; not the latest recipe from Ottolenghi, something better in fact. Introducing ‘The Great Nearby’ collaboration between your favourite Swedish outdoor brand (yes, Fjällraven of course) and your favourite American bicycle brand (yes, obviously Specialized). It’s the kind of collab that makes you immediately sit up and say things like ‘I like this combo. I like the way it feels in my gut’.
Not only has the collaboration resulted in some really nice gear being cooked up, it’s also, perhaps more interestingly, set about championing the idea that you don’t need to go far to experience the benefits of being outside. The mental and physical health benefits of being outdoors, even for short amounts of time, have been well documented but there’s also a sense that the benefits can be a two-way street. By getting people outdoors, the thinking goes, people are more likely to care about what happens in the outdoors and thus be more likely to actively participate in the preservation of nature. In other words, the environment wins when more people care about it (and their own impact).
“It is key for people to get closer rather than more distant to nature. To see and rightly value the world’s eco-systems, climate, and sensitive balance, and become active stewards for a better future.”
Henrik Andersson, Global Creative Director, Fjällräven
“It’s the best medicine there is. Nothing is more real and nothing is purer and more important than connecting with nature. Nature is the best healer there is and something we can never ever take for granted – it has to be more cherished.”
Erik Nohlin, Industrial Design Leader, Specialized
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For more on this hiking and biking collaboration between Fjällräven and Specialized, visit the Fjällräven website.
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