What is the heart of your brand?
At the heart of our brand are three core principles that we believe in – Beauty, Ecology and Technology. Our vision is to rethink what mobility means and how we move. To make vehicles that last and not built to be discarded. To build them with honest materials that respect nature. To use technology where it adds value and not distraction. To preserve the spirit of craftsmanship and dedication to art.Where do you draw inspiration from?
Growing up in Scandinavia I was surrounded by a certain sense of aesthetics that is deeply ingrained in the culture that I believe comes from the Nordic nature. Earthy tones, dark oceans and rugged mountains provided a sense of calm and serenity. This was expressed through many different design disciplines such as furniture, interior, automotive and fashion. Having that as basis, I believe that there is much more inspiration that can be drawn from nature by simply observing it.The aesthetics of Tarform are based on natures intelligence, all things are in constant motion and continuous transition from one form to another. Everything is moving and changing, like every wave on the ocean and every breath. The concept behind the Tarform design was to uncover the subtle beauty in each object by reducing the form to it’s bare essentials. To uncover the elegant beauty in the materials and refinement of a simple curve.
What materials are you using to create your line?
We are committed to avoid the use of petroleum-based materials in the construction of the motorcycle. After 2 years of prototyping, we have developed a plant based composite material made out of flax seed fibers, bio-resin and algae derived pigments. The result is a part that is fully recyclable. Most of the structural components are made out of 100% Recycled Aluminum. The seat is made out of biodegradable leather and we are experimenting with foam made made out of tree sap and coconut waste.What makes your brand sustainable?
Most of today’s products are built to be discarded in a few years. We build our vehicles to last and design the vehicle for upgradability where you only replace the parts that need to be replaced. And the parts that do get replaced, are either fully recycled or don’t end up on a landfill.Our dream is to design vehicles that become icons and are passed on from generation to generation because they provide a sense of meaning and joy. That is true sustainability, something that does not get thrown away because we loose our connection to the product.
On a personal level why, how & when did you decide to create an eco-friendly brand?
During my daytime work I helped startups launch their ideas ranging from napkin sketches to complete technological solutions. After a decade I couldn’t help but seeing the disconnect between the promise that the brand made and what people actually wanted. I began to loose hope in the promise that technology made to enhance our society and instead it was focusing on collecting our information and capturing our attention.As a counterbalance I spent my weeknights and weekends at a shop restoring and building vintage motorcycles. There was something mythical about these machines, a combination of aesthetics, speed, quest for innovation and pure thrill. One day as I was working on my Triumph that was leaking oil, I felt that these machines are due for a serious overhaul and we have to embrace new ways of thinking around sustainability. Not just in terms of electrification, but rethinking how they are made, what materials are being used during the fabrication and if it is possible to create vehicles that preserve the spirit of craftsmanship. This became the inception behind Tarform.
Do you believe in the future of humanity?
I truly hope that humanity has the potential to create a thriving future, but it depends on our actions and behaviors today. We know that the earth we live on today is not enough if we are to continue on this path without a significant change in mindset.What are some easy steps you can do to live a more sustainable & conscious lifestyle?
By becoming more aware of the world we live in and the products we surround ourselves with. Begin by asking a few simple questions. Do I need this in my life? What is my relationship to this product? What is this made out of and who made it?What are you most proud of?
To have a practice of frequently venturing out far beyond my comfort zone and discovering that is where life expands beyond imagination.Where do you see your role in creating a non toxic environment for future generations?
Mobility is an integral part of modern civilization, we have developed modes of transportation that takes us all over the world. During that process, we created a by-product that is destructive to us and our environment.We are a company that builds physical things. As makers of physical products that are being brought into this world, it is our responsibility to use materials that neither contribute to waste nor harm the environment.
What are your hopes for the future?
I believe the most powerful way to adopt a new way of thinking is by instilling a sense of beauty and care for our environment. I hope that we use all our knowledge and the awe-inspiring potential that each individual has to shape our reality.
We have all the technological solutions already available, it’s up to us how to use them to create a better tomorrow for us and future generations.
What is your mission? Call to action?
To build a new breed of vehicles that awaken emotion through art, science and ecology.What’s sexy about eco-friendly fashion to you?
We perceive beauty as something superficial but the fundamentals of nature is that desire drives evolution. The pattern of a nautilus shell, the division of a cell and stripes on a zebra are designed to serve a purpose. I believe that now is the time to let fashion serve a different purpose by bringing ecology into this way of communicating with each other.How do you think we can convince the fashion world to switch to sustainable practices?
By highlighting the issues and making people aware of the toxic processes and destructive materials that are being used in the fashion industry. Everything from pigments that pollute the groundwater, to unethical work environments and petroleum based materials that end up on a landfill for thousands of years.How do you vote with your dollar?
By making a conscious choice to not support companies or organizations that are knowingly participating in the destruction of our environment or are deceitful on the way they do business.What are some of the major challenges you have met? What are some of the greatest moments?
When we set out to build the first prototypes of the Tarform, many people asked why we are going away from traditional materials, established manufacturing methods, building things by hand and that there are easier ways to do this. I am proud that we did not compromise the original intention and stayed true to what we believed is the right thing to do.How do you honor mother earth every day?
To remind myself that she birthed every living organism and that we are part of a cycle that has been around for millions of years.What does love mean to you?
That love is not something to be found or acquired, it is something that is created from within.Life motto?
“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be” – Lao TzuWhat does the term “Ecovocateur” mean to you?
Someone, or something that evokes or provokes a sense of fashion from an environmental perspective.Anything you’d like to add? Important for us (the world) to know?
I think I captured the essence above 🙂