Truce Designs

A surfing sailor who sews bags from pre-consumer recycled materials and scraps from Coast Guard uniforms

Dry suit fabric and sailcloth are among mankind’s sturdiest manufactured materials, designed to hold up under some of the wildest conditions the ocean has to offer. So what happens to all the scraps that don’t end up in a Coast Guard airman’s kit, or stowed onboard a schooner? Luckily, some of it ends up in the hands of Portland-based designer Luke Mathers of Truce Designs. …

Off Piste: Wilderness Collective

Our interview with founder Steve Dubbeldam on finding the feeling of exploration and the importance of adventure

Just over a year ago, Steve Dubbeldam founded Wilderness Collective, an adventure-based service offering men unique experiences to leave their day-to-day lives behind and step into the unknown. Lasting a few short days, the trips—while brief in duration—take on an extended life of their own. From climbing Washington state’s Mount Baker to horseback riding in the Sierras, the rugged trips may not be best suited …

Refinery Hotel

A 1920s millinery factory and tea salon is reincarnated as a 12-story hotel

Steps away from Bryant Park in New York’s Garment District is the new Refinery Hotel, which quietly opened its doors this summer. Design firm Stonehill & Taylor, tasked with the hotel’s architectural transformation and interior design, drew from its earlier origins as a hat factory and tea room in the early 1900s. Taking up only 12 floors yet not lacking any luxury amenities, including a …