Story
Solterra began out of necessity. As beach frequenters, avid surfers, and health zealots, we reached a dire issue. All natural boardshorts didn’t exist. Specifically, they were all made of plastic - polyester, spandex, “recycled polyester”, etc..
Living our healthiest & most vital life is our top priority. We believe living as close to nature as possible is the way to achieve this, meaning avoiding all things chemically and synthetically processed. This goes for the food you eat, the cosmetics you put on your skin, and the clothes you wear.
Unfortunately, every pair of boardshorts out there was made of cheap plastic. Tired of dealing with this issue ourselves for so long, we set out to solve it.
WHEN IT ALL BEGAN
Nov 2023
Living in Hawaii at the time, we were constantly wearing boardshorts. Fed up with being unable to find any made of natural fibers, our search to source and create a plastic-less pair of our own began.
OUR 1ST PROTOTYPE
Feb 2024
After prototyping our desired fit with a local LA-based designer, sourcing reliable fabrics we trusted, and testing 100s of different samples, we had our first pair of boardshorts made from a hemp and organic cotton blend.
CHANGING FABRICS
May 2024
Our initial prototype was restrictive, heavy, and absorbed far too much water for our liking. After much more fabric testing and prototyping, we landed on a silk-based sample.
REFINING THE FIT & STYLE
Oct 2024
The silk blend was now much more lightweight and comfortable, but the fit needed adjusting to accommodate our stylistic preferences while keeping the functionality intact, both on land and in water.
THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX
Jan 2025
The previous fabrics and prototypes simply weren't doing it for us. We needed to get creative. We were so deep in it at this point, we weren't going to settle for anything less than perfect. After endless research and communication with global textile suppliers, we found the solution.
ENTER, TENCEL™
Sep 2025
TENCEL™ fabric is made of Eucalyptus tree wood pulp. Our proprietary formula perfectly suited our fit, functionality, and most importantly, 100% natural and plastic-free requirement. We had finally found the winner.