As an entrepreneur and outdoor enthusiast, Alisa Otto (above, center) finds solace in nature. But every time Otto wants to go explore the trails of Northern Texas where she lives, she finds herself having to go through the men鈥檚 section of a local clothing store to find a size that’s right for her. Seeking out something more technical than the oversized cotton T-shirts is a journey in itself. 鈥淚 often resort to borrowing my husband鈥檚 T-shirts that have moisture-wicking and thermal properties,鈥� she said.

Her love for hiking was stifled by the difficulty of finding comfortable apparel right for her body. After several of her friends had described similar experiences, Otto took it upon herself to address the needs of women in the outdoors, creating a body-positive brand that’s making steps towards size inclusion.

Ottomatic Threads is a women鈥檚 outdoor apparel company that draws inspiration from national and state parks. Otto launched the company in 2020 to provide women with activewear that fits and performs in even the most extreme conditions. Now, with a micro-factory operating in the company’s Northern Texas office, Ottomatic Threads is strengthening the community of female outdoor participants.

We caught up with Alisa to learn about her business and her mission. An edited version of our conversation is below.

How do you see yourself fitting into the history and culture of women-led companies in the outdoor space?

I hope to show other women entrepreneurs that there is space for them in this industry. The outdoor industry in general, and apparel manufacturing specifically, are historically male-led industries where women aren鈥檛 often seen in leadership roles. I am hoping that by being transparent with my company, other women will be encouraged to take on topics that matter to them.听

How is Ottomatic Threads inspiring the next generation to create sustainable apparel?

Our goal with the micro-factory is to create a space where people can see their clothing being made. I think it鈥檚 important to see someone actually making your clothes so you understand the work that goes into making them. We host community workshops, kid camps, and birthday parties centered around teaching people to sew in a sustainable manner. This past weekend, for example, we hosted a seven-year-old鈥檚 birthday party and the kids were so excited when I told them we use some fabrics that are made from recycled materials because it helps save the environments of their favorite animals. I think tying sustainability into topics that matter to people is really key in getting them to understand the importance of it.

What is Ottomatic Threads doing to combat unhealthy social pressures, assumptions, and expectations for girls and women in the outdoor industry?

Size inclusivity is a top priority for us and along with that comes the message of self love. We have a body positivity collection that helps us to remind ourselves to love the bodies we are in, regardless of the size or ability. When we first launched, we had the goal of expanding our size range, and in 2021 we were able to take that leap. Now every single style is available in XS-6X. If a style won鈥檛 work for every size, we simply do not produce it; high quality outdoor clothing should be available to women of every size.

Your company donates 1 percent of all proceeds to national parks. Which national parks do you keep close to your heart?

Zion is the first national park I went to solo and it鈥檚 where I found peace with my body after suffering a couple pregnancy losses the year before. I was terrified to go on my own, but I was so proud of myself for doing it and it really gave me confidence in the outdoors. I remember just breaking down crying after finishing hiking the Narrows and just feeling so relieved everything had gone to plan. Since then I鈥檝e gone on several solo trips to other national parks and it鈥檚 honestly my favorite way to visit them now.

What specific lessons can the outdoor industry take from your sustainable efforts through your micro-factory in Northern Texas?

There鈥檚 a saying that holds strong here: 鈥渋f it鈥檚 important to you, you鈥檒l find a way; if not, you鈥檒l find an excuse.鈥� We are a small team, but sustainability is important to us, so we鈥檝e figured out how to integrate it into the core of how we function. We save scraps, we redesign to minimize waste, we eliminate designs that are too wasteful in production, we are constantly taking inventory of what we need and only buy materials if we have a specific use in mind. We are also always on the lookout for more sustainable materials because technology is constantly changing and things pop up on the market all the time. You don鈥檛 have to be a zero-waste company to be considered sustainably minded. You just need to make the effort.

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Erin McGrady, an openly gay Asian American entrepreneur, writer, photographer, and outdoor athlete, is no stranger to dealing with aggression鈥攂oth micro and macro. From offensive offhand comments to being followed by a vehicle while on a run, these things are what inspire McGrady to advocate for greater outdoor access among the LGBTQ+ community to help make the outdoors a safer place for everyone.

McGrady and her wife, Caroline Whatley, are the creative directors behind the digital marketing agency Authentic Asheville. In addition to working with brands big and small on everything from web design and photography to content creation, the duo also shares their stories of van life and adventures on Instagram (@e.mcgrady and @authenticasheville) and on their camper van travel blog Authentic Asheville.听

McGrady鈥檚听 experience as an Outbound Collective resident has given her the opportunity to share the many aspects that make up her identity in the great outdoors. McGrady was selected for the Outbound Collective Writers Residency for underrepresented storytellers in October of 2020. The six-month long project was started by Outbound Collective, a virtual community dedicated to sharing the many faces and experiences of听 the outdoors and adventure travel. The Writers Residency gives writers from marginalized communities financial compensation, gear, and a platform to tell their stories.

I caught up with Erin this summer as she and her wife traveled through the Southwest. An edited version of our conversation is below.

How did you celebrate Pride Month?

I celebrated Pride Month by exploring some new-to-me places and spaces with my wife. We鈥檝e been working and adventuring out of our camper van in the Southwest鈥攈iking, trail running, biking, camping鈥� we even went rafting in the Grand Canyon for three days while working as content creators for the Nation鈥檚 Vacation, a travel website that helps people experience what America’s greatest National Parks and protected lands have to offer. Our rafting trip concluded with a 9.5 mile hike up the Bright Angel Trail and though my legs were sore afterwards, the aches were totally worth it. It was an intense adventure but during my down moments I had a chance to really reflect on how thankful I am to be able to write, shoot, and share as an openly gay, brown-skinned woman. I鈥檓 grateful to those in the LGBTQIA+ community who have come before me and those who continue to do the work today. I hope to be a part of the change (to a safer, more equitable, and inclusive world), as the work is far from done.听

What have you learned during your Outbound Collective Writer鈥檚 Residency and what have been some of your favorite projects that came out of this?

The writer’s residency allowed me the time and space to dig deeper into my thoughts about my experiences in the outdoors. Though I wasn鈥檛 much of a Girl Scout (I got too homesick on overnight trips and never actually made it through the night), as I got older I gravitated to all the outdoor activities. Turns out I love camping, kayaking, surfing, riding bikes, and trail running. But I just never quite felt like I fit into those spaces. A lot of it, I think, had to do with the fact that I rarely saw people that looked like me in those places or in the ads selling the gear for those activities. My experience was difficult to talk about, but through the residency I was able to connect with others who have had similar experiences. It was really healing to find community with others who could relate to and support me and who wanted to work to make those same spaces more inclusive and friendly. Some of my favorite projects that came out of this has been working with brands like Stio, Hoka One One, Eagles Nest Outfitters (ENO), and Snow Peak, who aren鈥檛 afraid to show and tell stories like mine. Actually, let me rephrase that: not only were these brands not afraid to tell stories like mine, they were excited to do so. That鈥檚 a big shift and one that hopefully will make the outdoors feel more and more welcoming.

What is the Everyone 国产吃瓜黑料 initiative and how are you involved in it?

Everyone 国产吃瓜黑料 is an idea and a hashtag that The Outbound Collective uses to put thoughts, intentions, and words into motion to make the outdoors a more inclusive, safe, and welcoming space for everyone. As part of the project, The Outbound Collective has produced six films with two more in production, sponsored two cohorts of Writers in Residence for Underrepresented Storytellers, and created an Artist Network Initiative.听

You do a lot of sponsored content with partners like Stio, Snow Peak, ENO Hammocks: what is that process like and what defines a good brand partner?

I鈥檝e been really excited to work with each of the brands you mentioned. They鈥檝e been a great fit for me because I genuinely like their products. Equally important, they really believe in me and trust in me to create imagery and write stories and share authentic truths. I haven鈥檛 felt any pressure to conform to be someone I鈥檓 not, to hide a part of myself, or to share about something I don鈥檛 actually like.

As far as the process, it鈥檚 pretty straightforward and revolves around good communication. Typically the brand鈥檚 team shares their goals with us via a deck or we hop on a call. After the information-gathering, we then decide whether or not the project is a good fit for us and if it is we get to work! Caroline and I (it鈥檚 just the two of us) will then spend a lot of time generating ideas (they鈥檝e got to feel fun, true to us, and in line with our values), scouting out locations, creating the imagery, writing the copy, editing everything, and then working with the brand to share it with our audiences.听

What is it like as an openly gay woman traveling with your partner? Your posts on Instagram seem fearless and proud. Does that come naturally?

Traveling as an openly gay woman I鈥檝e experienced everything from feeling relaxed and in a safe space to feeling terrified because my physical safety is in danger. I鈥檝e been pinned to a wall in an alley by a moving vehicle and followed while running in my neighborhood. These experiences have changed how I move about the world. And while it鈥檚 obviously easier and more enjoyable for my wife and me to visit places where we don鈥檛 have to worry about our well being, it’s been important to us to travel to places and experience them for ourselves rather than just writing them off because we鈥檝e heard negative things. As for the fearless and proud part of my Instagram posts, in some ways it comes naturally but there鈥檚 also a lot of internal, emotional work that gets done behind the scenes. I think what it comes down to is that I just refuse to shrink from shame or fear because there are some people out there who do not like nor accept me. And if it helps just one other person get out there and do what they want to do, then it鈥檚 worth it.

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Chad Brown is a man on a mission. As a Black, disabled Navy veteran with a passion for wild places, he has seen firsthand the healing power of the outdoors, and he鈥檚 hell-bent on making sure everyone can access it.

Brown is the founder of not one but two nonprofits. In addition to Soul River, which brings veterans and inner-city youth together on wild rivers for mentorship experiences, he also created the group Love Is King, which focuses on safeguarding rights for marginalized and vulnerable communities outside. Love Is King was founded last year, but since then has garnered a lot of attention as it continues taking actionable steps towards creating serenity and healing in the outdoors.

Last week, we sat down for a Zoom chat with Brown to learn more about his work and the movement he’s building.

Was there a moment in your life that sparked the idea for Love is King?

Last year, I was out fishing on the Clackamas River in Oregon when a white man appeared and yelled at me to 鈥済et off of his river.鈥� When I continued to fish, he took out his weapon and fired a warning shot. Then he took aim at me and fired again. Luckily he missed, and that鈥檚 when I got the hell out of there. Here I am, getting shot at on a river and all I wanted to do was fly fish on our public lands. I鈥檓 a 50 percent PTSD disabled veteran. On that day, a lot of stuff unraveled for me. I was bothered, frustrated, angry, crying. It sent me into a downward emotional spiral. It was from this place that Love is King was born鈥攖o address toxic hate and to promote safety for all in the outdoors.听

My experience is not unique. Many BIPOC folks have suffered the toxicity of racism in the outdoors. These experiences need to be addressed and combatted. Love Is King is here for that.

What is the group’s basic mission?

Love is King is not just a nonprofit. We鈥檙e on a mission to create a movement. Love is King squashes fear in the outdoors and provides equitable access and safety to enrich experiences for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities. People of color and marginalized groups deserve a voice, deserve an advocate, and deserve action to ensure that the freedom to roam is unhindered.听

How does Love is King support marginalized communities in the outdoors?

In the outdoor industry, we talk a lot about access to the outdoors. That’s great, but access can’t be ensured without safety. Love Is King is about addressing fear and making the outdoors a safe space. We do that by establishing Love Is King Guardians, a diverse group of industry professionals that lead with love. Guardians are inspired by the Guardian Angels, a New York City-based nonprofit that prevents crime in certain communities. Our Love Is King Guardians are passionate, empathetic, and experienced leaders who encourage and nurture positive interactions and conversations. Whether they’re veterans, politicians, nonprofit leaders, or community activists, our Guardians leverage their DEI training and leadership skills to ignite change.

How will you bring new voices and changemakers to outdoor conservation?

We do that through something called Operation Roam. Operation Roam pairs BIPOC and LGBTQ+ professionals with conservation nonprofits like Alaska Wilderness League to introduce diverse voices into advocacy work. These conservation nonprofits gain new perspectives, and our Operation Roam participants gain on-the-ground professional development through their involvement with conservation campaigns and efforts听to protect our public lands, fresh water, wildlife, and Indigenous nations.

How does white allyship come into play in your work?

Allyship is always important and there are plenty of good intentions out there. But I’ve found myself in some conversations with white allies and conservation groups where there鈥檚 a lot of talk and great intentions, but no follow up.

Love Is King is designed to hold people accountable. When we say we鈥檙e going to do something, we do it. I鈥檝e had a few organizations that will smile and agree, but they鈥檙e not ready. I鈥檝e been told many times by white people in fly fishing and hunting communities that 鈥渢he outdoors is green and for everybody.鈥� The thing is, a white person鈥檚 experience outdoors is very different from mine and those of many other BIPOC and LGBTQ+ folks. As a Black male, the way I move through this world is different from the way my white allies do.

If you had to define one key to success for Love is King, what would that be?

Action. We can have all the conversations and debates we want, but if there鈥檚 no change, it’s coffee talk. As an entrepreneur, sometimes it can be hard for me to articulate the depth of the vision that I have. I always try to find the most executable way to create a swift win through small, actionable steps.

It鈥檚 like making a fire: gathering tinder before finding progressively larger pieces of wood to get a flame going. Small actions incubate hope, faith, strength, power, teamwork, and accountability. Small win after small wins allows us to support the movement and create a shared, healthy experience for marginalized communities.

It鈥檚 like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. told us: we’re going to march to the mountaintop one step at a time. Sooner or later, we’re going to get there.

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