About us
About us
Heya 👋 I'm Ali (on the left), designer and founder of Labo Mono. Nice to meet you!
Created in Hackney, London in 2018. We are an indie outdoor company that makes audacious gear & clothing, designed & tested from UK & French trails 🇬🇧❤️🇫🇷
Our mission? To inspire all curious souls to explore the outdoors, beyond the horizon.
That's because we see curiosity & exploration as the compass. One that leads us to our greatest journeys and adventures, paving the way to a happy and meaningful life.
Tired of dull outdoor brands, we decided to take a playful yet functional & sustainable approach.
That's why we make the most audacious gear to explore the world and get dirty with panache! ✨
How it started
In summer 2018, I was working as a designer in London, cycling home, when I got caught in a rainstorm. I only had one of those thin windbreakers on me and was drenched by the time I arrived.
Super frustrated and still dripping wet, I started to look online for a proper waterproof jacket.
That's when I realised that most technical jackets looked the same, and - let's be honest - all looked very dull.
Being outdoorsy, I needed something functional yet in my style, to wear whether I'd be cycling to work, hiking, or strolling in town.
And besides some great names, most outerwear brand were very opaque on their social & environmental impact.
So as a side design project, I decided to imagine my ideal outdoor jacket.
The idea really stuck in my head. I became obsessed with technical fabrics and testing everything new in the industry.
A few months in, I decided to quit my job and embark on this new journey full-time.
After a year of sketches, YouTube tutorials, failed prototypes, user tests and feedback, I finally presented the project and the first product on Kickstarter, which was successfully funded 3 days later 🎉
Labo Mono was born.
How the first deliveries went, from my living room
"Our aim is to create pieces of clothing & equipment that aren’t just pleasant to look at, but cleverly functional for all outdoor adventures.
All that while using sustainable materials, produced ethically."
Ali Namdari - Founder & Designer
Ethically produced
It is important for us to be transparent about our different process, and especially the manufacturing one.
I screened many factories before committing to our current partner.
Main criteria: quality, social responsibility, sustainability and price.
To make sure we work with the right people, I packed my suitcase and went out to visit them personally.
You can read more about all this process and discover our factory right here.
A modern and well advanced technical garment factory that share our commitment to ethical manufacturing.
The very skilled and super friendly employees are all working in a clean, safe and regulated environment.
If you'd like to learn more, I share everything from our last visit on our Blog, in this article here.
The difficult months searching for the right factory have paid off!
From London to Europe's trails 🥾
Born in London in 2018, we now design, test and develop our products from our studio on wheels, from UK & French trails 🚐 🇬🇧❤️🇫🇷
A new way of working that allows us to test prototypes on the field, improve our products, do our photoshoots as we hike, meet fellow adventurers, and design the future of sustainable outerwear.
You can follow our adventure and the stories you share on Instagram! 👇
