Lace Up & Lead The Way
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Ever considered what makes up your story? If you had to break it down to a granular level and define the building blocks that set the course for where you've found yourself while you're reading this. What would they be called? Opportunities? Decisions? We think it comes down to moments.
Moments of feeling, moments of thought, quiet contemplation, and loud expression. Moments of clarity and pensive tension. The milliseconds where your compass recalibrates. Whether it's a minor realignment of a few millimeters or a complete 180° to an entirely different life. There are tangible outcomes of the moments that lead us to make choices.
With where the world is right now, decisive certainty seems unrealistic, change seems to be the only constant and we're continuously reevaluating where we're going. It's the ideal time to remind ourselves to keep our focus and eyes forward and on what it is that we're truly chasing.
Realizing for ourselves that what we want most and what we're doing in our day to day, needs to be in alignment. Easy to say, not so easy in practice when we're bombarded day in and day out with the noise of the world rattling our focus. Sometimes we need to step out of the chaos to make the vision clearer, one foot in front of the other.
When does the future begin?
To do this, we have to do a little introspection, look inwards and see that where we've come from doesn't have to determine where we're going but rather enables and empowers us to choose our futures both individually and as a collective. It offers us the space to reflect on what we genuinely think and feel about what's going on in the world, our industries, our cities, our neighborhoods, our homes, and our hearts.
Often, this will allow us to find that we need to make a couple of tweaks, and that's okay, even the simple lightbulb took Edison multiple iterations to find that sweet spot. Hiccups and missteps are all part of the process. This journey may call on us to move in ways that make us feel uncomfortable because they're unfamiliar but going against the grain is sometimes the only way to stand out and make a statement, just take a look at history's societal nonconformists.
Michelangelo brought realism into art and challenged the old way of thinking (he also gave us the Sistine Chapel which is pretty cool too). Tupac gave us some of the greatest creative protest and social commentary hip-hop has ever seen. Looking back isn't something we usually recommend (unless you're checking the rearview mirror while driving - definitely do that). However, when it's to pay respect to the path that got us here and raise a glass to those that walked it for us - we'll allow it. Clink clink. With that said, history-making isn't only in the past either - take a look at the USA's current Vice President, Kamala Harris who is paving the way for women and people of color to lead the free world. Setting the example that it starts with a decision to choose to.
So, now that we've determined how the future comes to be something that could be called reality, when does it really begin?
A great question and we're glad you asked. We believe it starts with hearts that beat for a better tomorrow, the ones who truly care about what the world looks like, five, ten, and fifty years from now. The everyday people pushing for change every day because that's how you build the house, one brick at a time. The ones that know that getting up means there’s no giving in and no backing down when it starts getting tough to stay true to the cause. It belongs to the ones bold enough to care in a world that seemingly isn't bothered about how long we can sustain this planet. It belongs to those who are taking steps in the right direction, rather than the easy one. For us, Clean. Care. Protect was never only about sneaker care.
Often, this will allow us to find that we need to make a couple of tweaks, and that's okay, even the simple lightbulb took Edison multiple iterations to find that sweet spot. Hiccups and missteps are all part of the process. This journey may call on us to move in ways that make us feel uncomfortable because they're unfamiliar but going against the grain is sometimes the only way to stand out and make a statement, just take a look at history's societal nonconformists.
Michelangelo brought realism into art and challenged the old way of thinking (he also gave us the Sistine Chapel which is pretty cool too). Tupac gave us some of the greatest creative protest and social commentary hip-hop has ever seen. Looking back isn't something we usually recommend (unless you're checking the rearview mirror while driving - definitely do that). However, when it's to pay respect to the path that got us here and raise a glass to those that walked it for us - we'll allow it. Clink clink. With that said, history-making isn't only in the past either - take a look at the USA's current Vice President, Kamala Harris who is paving the way for women and people of color to lead the free world. Setting the example that it starts with a decision to choose to.
So, now that we've determined how the future comes to be something that could be called reality, when does it really begin?
A great question and we're glad you asked. We believe it starts with hearts that beat for a better tomorrow, the ones who truly care about what the world looks like, five, ten, and fifty years from now. The everyday people pushing for change every day because that's how you build the house, one brick at a time. The ones that know that getting up means there’s no giving in and no backing down when it starts getting tough to stay true to the cause. It belongs to the ones bold enough to care in a world that seemingly isn't bothered about how long we can sustain this planet. It belongs to those who are taking steps in the right direction, rather than the easy one. For us, Clean. Care. Protect was never only about sneaker care.
At Sneaker LAB we care about the planet and the people in it, it's why we're doing everything in our power to make sure that everything we put out into the world does no harm but rather contributes to the overall good. Be it a new product, or a piece of marketing collateral - like this one. We want to lead by example and set the pace for other businesses to follow suit. We want to inspire change by defining what it looks like. It's a journey that hasn't been without its challenges but one that we're unconditionally committed to. Pro science, pro-innovation, protest the status quo. But, how does this inherently influence the future?
It goes down to the grassroots. The absolute bedrock that drives everything we do. The future belongs to those with the passion to take part in things that really matter, and the power to carry on in the face of adversity. The ones deciding to lace up to lead the way for a better world. Those trying to reduce waste, those moving to be carbon neutral, those uplifting and educating the communities that will in turn uplift the next generation. Those replanting the forests and supporting the initiatives that help. The ones truly living for a cause and not treading lightly in their pursuit. They’re stepping out and stepping up, with an unstoppable state of mind. Something we fiercely admire and respect.
What does this have to do with why we decided to write this blog or produce this video? Another great question. Our goal here was to take a walk with those making it happen, to learn and understand the mavericks (and underdogs) in various industries who are digging the trenches in their fields to create change. How this affects the wider community and how we can help play a part in that progress. Our mission at Sneaker LAB is to create sustainable products that enable you to express yourself and live freely with the knowledge that your sneakers are always clean, the reassurance that our products do no harm, and the confidence that indirectly, you're making a difference by being a part of our community.
So, we dare you to imagine and then we dare you to do it again. Never give up, because you know that life is made up of a multitude of little defining moments and that this moment that we're all in as people of this planet, right now, will set the precedent for the next generation. And we all have our roles. So go out there and make every step a statement.
when does the future begin?
Our future starts the moment you decide it does.
It goes down to the grassroots. The absolute bedrock that drives everything we do. The future belongs to those with the passion to take part in things that really matter, and the power to carry on in the face of adversity. The ones deciding to lace up to lead the way for a better world. Those trying to reduce waste, those moving to be carbon neutral, those uplifting and educating the communities that will in turn uplift the next generation. Those replanting the forests and supporting the initiatives that help. The ones truly living for a cause and not treading lightly in their pursuit. They’re stepping out and stepping up, with an unstoppable state of mind. Something we fiercely admire and respect.
What does this have to do with why we decided to write this blog or produce this video? Another great question. Our goal here was to take a walk with those making it happen, to learn and understand the mavericks (and underdogs) in various industries who are digging the trenches in their fields to create change. How this affects the wider community and how we can help play a part in that progress. Our mission at Sneaker LAB is to create sustainable products that enable you to express yourself and live freely with the knowledge that your sneakers are always clean, the reassurance that our products do no harm, and the confidence that indirectly, you're making a difference by being a part of our community.
So, we dare you to imagine and then we dare you to do it again. Never give up, because you know that life is made up of a multitude of little defining moments and that this moment that we're all in as people of this planet, right now, will set the precedent for the next generation. And we all have our roles. So go out there and make every step a statement.
when does the future begin?
Our future starts the moment you decide it does.
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