With temperatures beginning to climb, keeping your cool and staying protected from the sun is essential for surviving your time outdoors. NAU Clothing features a Tencel® Sun collection line of technical layers that not only live up to their sustainable roots, but provide protection from those harsh UV Rays.
As part of their dedication to eco-friendly practices, Portland-based NAU Clothing uses a unique roster of fabrics in the product lines:
- Organic Cotton — Reduced environmental footprint, breathable, lightweight, and durable.
- Recycled Polyester — The most sustainable synthetic fiber for functional clothing, less energy consumption, and keeps plastics in use rather than in a landfill.
- Recycled Down — A renewable and biodegradable fabric, NAU’s recycled down takes old down duvets and pillows and transforms them into a high quality, alternative down jacket.
- Micro modal — Silky soft, breathable, and simply feels great against the skin.
- PFC-Free DWR (Durable Water Repellent) — PFCs, or perfluorinated compounds, are non-natural components that are found in a wide variety of commercial applications, but they do not break down naturally in the environment after use. Studies have also shown that PFCs can be harmful to humans.
- Alpaca and Merino Wool — To put it simply, wool is soft and durable – what more do you need in a fabric?
- And last but not least, the Tencel® + Tencel® Sun technology, which we’ll delve into right now.
Following suit in regards to NAU’s sustainability mission, Tencel® is a brand of lyocell fiber that sources eucalyptus from sustainably managed forests. They’ve also done a tremendous job at applying a closed-loop process, which has the ability to recycle more than 99% of the chemicals used in its manufacturing.
NAU uses the soft and silky, eucalyptus tree-fibers to create a moisture-wicking fabric that allows for enhanced moisture management when your body starts to heat up; meaning, these shirts not only offer a true sense of elegant simplicity, they also work to keep your body temperature as cool as everyone else thinks you look.
And to spice things up even more, NAU’s Tencel® Sun offers permanent, mineral-based UV-protection from the scorching summer sun. According to NAU’s website, this was “achieved by embedding natural Titanium Oxide pigments in the fiber, rather than applying an inorganic treatment to the surface of the fiber that will degrade with washing.” In other words, Tencel® Sun offers high-quality, non-toxic sun protection for the life of the garment.
Now that we’ve got the science out of the way, it’s time to introduce the Tencel® Sun collection for men.
The line includes a tasteful array of warm weather attire, including lightweight polo tees, button-downs, and long sleeves. And if you’re thinking I’m crazy for suggesting long sleeves during the summer, think back to NAU’s Tencel® Sun technology, because they’ve literally got you covered.
S/S Wander Polo $80
S/S Dissolve Shirt $90
L/S Wander Henley $90
S/S Wander T-Shirt $60
Twisted L/S Shirt $115
And, for shorts and gigs:
Stretch Motil 5PKT Short $98
If you’re not conviced, NAU Clothing also ends the day giving back 2% of every sale to our Partners for Change — Conservation Alliance, Mercy Corps, and People for Bikes — who are creating lasting positive change in their respective communities, whether it be aiding to protect waterways in North America, or presenting more, enhanced opportunities for bike riding.
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