Time to get to know your favorite Sphyrnas brand. Meet the founder who started it all, and in fact, makes it all with the help of her wife Chelsea! Plus, see some behind the scenes of how we make some of our favorite pieces.
What's with the name?
'SPHYRNA'
From the Greek "Hammer", is the genus of Hammerhead Sharks, the earliest first recorded in the 1700s.
Who makes this JAWSOME gear?
"Sphyrnas is all about making sharks more approachable, or 'cool' - if we can create sharky, sassy designs that people want to wear, then more people will be inspired to learn about them as well as the plight the oceans face without them."
-Cari Johnson
Just who is behind all this cool shark-ery and down right fish geekery? In addition to her graphic designer and fellow business owner wife Chelsea - meet founder, crafter and clothing designer - Cari Johnson.
Despite growing up far from the sea, Cari couldn't shake a passion for the ocean and draw to sharks. Cari founded Sphyrnas, LLC in 2017 after leaving a successful retail management career and wanting to do more with what she loved - sharks!
Her ultimate goal through Sphyrnas is to save sharks by creating the funds vital to research and educational outreach about these elusive fish species.
"As a teenager, I brought home biology textbooks to read as fun or renting out every wildlife documentary available
in my local library.
Despite not coming from an animal-loving family, my passion and interest for sharks and conservation only intensified as I got older.
My experience has led me to believe you don't choose your true passions, you're drawn to them inexplicably- they're your purpose and those interests you are at your happiest when involved in"
After spending time attending college for a biology degree, Cari realized a pathway to accomplish her shark-loving dreams through business and a mutual love of entrepreneurship.
Frustrated at all those big companies who have large profits but are less than lackluster in their actions or positive impacts on the environment, Cari wanted to create a business that combined ocean passion with a successful business result.
By creating and designing our own brand, we're ensuring the promotion of sustainable and ethical manufacturing. In addition, the ability to give as much funding as possible to proven programs and research initiatives that actively save sharks is imperative.
-Cari Johnson
It's so important to show through our designs that conservation really does go with any season or style! Whatever look or weather, we create sustainable clothes with a cause and we're only getting started.
What does SPHYRNAS help sharks and the environment?
With every stitch, every design, or every handwritten letter we include with each order - our brand is so much more than just another t-shirt. From the beginning, we've put in the work of researching and learning processes for how to create sustainable, ethically sourced products.
Only manufactures that place the same level of importance on sustainability and ethicality while championing conservation make the cut for a Sphyrnas logo.
With the fashion industry being one of the worst polluters in the world, it is vital that not only consumers but manufacturers choose to do business in recycling and repurposing materials - like plastics into fabrics!
We place the upmost importance on environmental impact as well as striving to be apart of the global solution; it's vital we seek out the best, most innovative companies for our partnerships.
-Cari Johnson
We want to empower you to explore and conserve our world. We are all in this together, and together we can create the brightest future fo all to enjoy.
(Sharks included)
Where does money go from my Sphyrnas order?
The success from our brand comes from you standing up for sharks while you stand out from the crowd.
Every purchase leads to a brighter future for sharks and the ocean. 25% of all sales go directly to conservation and research efforts across the globe.
Sphyrnas is giving you the power to make more of an impact toward conservation efforts with our SHARKPARTNER Patch Program!
In addition to clothing, Sphyrnas has a PlasticFree line of 'smelly goods' - with the launch of SHARKSCENTS. A sharky take on 100% hand poured and soy candles. Each one featuring natural scents with sustainably-sourced FSC wooden wicks! Our candles are created to ignite and celebrate your shark or ocean passions.
For more ideas and ways you can help save sharks as well as become more sustainable check out more on this SHARK BLOG!
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