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Xtri Chats With Art Of Tri Founder Toby Jones
By Betsy Delcour
7/3/2008 |
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As a group, triathletes are more than happy to spread the word about our sport. If we're not trying to convince a co-worker at the water cooler that they should try the next sprint triathlon, we're sharing stories about that mammoth training ride, or we've got the USAT bumper stickers on our car to show everyone what we like to do in our spare time. Art of Tri founder, Toby Jones, wanted to extend that lifestyle message to the clothes we wear when we're kicking back. And he does it with 100% organic cotton. Check out what Toby had to say about this venture, and when you're done, visit www.artoftri.com - he's extended a 20% discount to Xtri readers! (use promo code XTRI078 at checkout)....
1. Tell us a bit about yourself! Where did you grow up, and what types of sports were you involved in?
I grew up in Hong Kong and was at school in Bath, UK. We moved to Hong Kong when I was 5 after having lived in South Africa and Cypress. My Old Man started life in the RAF then moved to become a commercial pilot.
Mum threw me into a RAF swimming pool at 2 with some armbands on and swimming derived from that. I excelled at swimming in school though was never really taught or part of any Clubs.
I started playing rugby at 5, and school introduced me to athletics and hockey. During the long school holidays Mum took us skiing and windsurfing ¡V we would spend 8 weeks camping in France and at this time windsurfing was on the rise.
Growing up Rugby, windsurfing and skiing were my 3 main passions. I spent 20+ years playing rugby, from school to club level and it is remains ingrained in my spirit, something many others will empathize with!
My love of skiing lead to me living and working in the French Alps for 4 years. I made an attempt to turn pro windsurfing at 13 and although I was offered sponsorship the practicality of boarding school rules and no money to buy kit rapidly saw that vision die!
2. How did the windsurf/ski lifestyles shape who you are today? How do they compare to the tri lifestyle?
Well 4 years running a nightclub and bar in a major ski resort in the French Alps gave me an array of experience in drinking, let alone skiing!
To me the windsurfing and skiing lifestyles played a huge role in the concept of art of tri. Quicksilver, Billabong and Rip Curl were all brands I grew up with and my time in the Alps saw the start of ski/outdoor lifestyle brands of WhiteStuff and Fat Face, along with the expansion of Oxbow clothing.
All these brands and their clothes were based upon people wearing clothing that was representative of our community. Out on the water, or on the slopes we would be the technical gear and when that time was done there as lifestyle clothing to pull on.
Quite simply, what Quicksilver did for the surf world is what I am aiming to achieve with art of tri for the triathlon world.
3. Tell us about your first triathlon! How'd you get involved in the sport?
After leaving school (1989) I was kicking around Bath and saw the Bath Triathlon advertised. I borrowed a mate¡¦s mountain bike, used the old school track and jumped in the pool ¡V after a summer term of swim training I was fit!
However, a month before the race I went off to see my sister who was working in Sardinia for a holiday company, similar in set up to Club Med¡K¡Kwell after 2 days there I landed a job and never went home!
Years later, 2002 - I was living and working in London and met an old school friend, of whom had been a triathlete for 3-4 years. He knew of my sports background and suggested I give it a go.
Of course like any optimistic over eager sportsman I quickly got a bike, some tri gear and then proceeded to enter 3 x sprints, 6 x OD¡¦s and Half Ironman UK!
My first race was a sprint, right before the race my mate asked me how many times I had been on my bike - ¡§¡Keeerrrr 3¡¨, was my reply! So, I was given the advice to spin the bike leg, and I did just that ¡V even though I was passed by some dude on a MTB with road tires, baggy t-shirt and baggy shorts! My pride was not dented!
Sensibly I cancelled the other races and gave the sport of Triathlon a lot more respect. To this day the image of me, suited and in the bars spinning away like a mad man and being passed still makes me smile.
4. What made you decide to create art of tri? Why lifestyle clothing rather than performance apparel?
Well, I moved back to Hong Kong in September 04 and got into the local triathlon scene.
I trained and enjoyed training and meeting new people through the sport but I missed being able to wear casual gear that represented my sport and our community. Something that was natural from the skiing and windsurfing days¡K.I started thinking it would be cool to have casual triathlon clothing that we could wear when chilling out, or out with mates, something was missing, and I wanted more than a crappy race t-shirt in my wardrobe.
I lived next door to someone from Nike who headed up product development of fabrics and some of the Orca guys would come down to the training sessions we did so I had a fair idea of what was happening with tech gear and I could see more companies jumping on the band wagon of tech gear ¡V nothing was different and there was no way I wanted to sit in some bar kicking back in a dri-fit t-shirt.
The name art of tri just popped into my head¡K in fact it started out as art of triathlon but an Aussie pro friend who was rooming with me at the time suggested that the word ¡§tri¡¨ might better suited to Aussies! art of tri was born.
5. Besides making comfy good-looking clothes, art of tri has other benefits. How/Why did you decide to make it organic? Can you tell us about the charities art of tri supports?
I have my Mum to thank for that one¡K.at the time of conceptualizing the idea Mum had seen and read a lot about organic cotton, she has been Vegetarian for about 20 years now. Mum suggested I look at Organic cotton.
As for charities; well the 5% Direct Aid we have set up was very much from the influence of Patagonia and their 1% for the planet.
Currently we support a local Hong Kong charity called Operation Breakthrough - www.breakthrough.hk - They are a charity that has been set up by local police officers to help under privileaged kids get into sports.
As we grow so too will our help and assistance. However, it is my vision that our charity work stay sports focused and in particular, where possible, triathlon focused.
6. Starting your own business from the ground up is not easy. Can you tell us what it's been like for you, nurturing your relatively young business? How were you received in Kona last year?
Well, I have a lot more grey hair now than I did 18 months ago!!!
I had never been to an Ironman, let alone Kona ¡V it was my childhood dream to go to Hawaii¡K but only for the windsurfing!
However, I have to say watching the race, being there is probably as emotional as racing. Whatever capacity you are at Kona for in October, it is a magical place.
I am immensely passionate about art of tri, it is my life and everything I have is thrown into it. So, at times it can, and has been very emotionally charged ¡V any new business tends to be a rollercoaster ride of emotions, perhaps more so for some than others. Personally I wear my heart of my sleeve and that shows in the way I run art of tri.
I went to Kona last year after a tough 6 months in the US trying to get known and to be honest I was probably more nervous than those racing! The 6 months had been tough and general expoure and sales had not been what I had hope for, so Kona for me was like ¡§this has to work¡¨ ¡V anything less and I felt like I would of failed.
I left Kona euphoric and elated after spending 8 days on the side of the road promoting and selling our gear. All the Aussies gave me a tonne of support even though we stuffed them in the rugby! In fact everyone I met was awesome and very supportive of art of tri, it was great.
After all, who would of thought Mark Allen would choose to wear his art of tri t-shirt on race day and in front of all the Ironmanlive.com viewers!
Suffice to say Kona lifted my spirits and put art of tri on the map.
7. Do you still find time to train and race? Do you have any races planned in the future? What's it like to live and train in Hong Kong?
Well, at the time of this interview I have not swam for 5+ weeks, not biked for 7+ weeks and been on the track once! I love training and this year am totally committed and focused on art of tri, all my efforts, passion and time is centered towards really getting out there.
Having said all that I have, in the last 3 days got the turbo out and dragged out some pilates sessions and the swim bag is in the car for tomorrow morning¡¦s swim session at my local club!
I plan to race HK OD tri in November and there is a great o/w swim event in HK in October ¡V it is the ¡§clean half¡¨ ¡V a half marathon swim, in teams of 5, (with a support boat), an event I really enjoyed.
I was hoping to get down to Phuket for their triathlon end of the year, but like many popular races it is sold out. Next year I will, success depending, have the time to be able to actually get some racing in.
Training in Hong Kong? Well, we have just come off the back of the wettest June in 125 years!!?! Turbo trainer city ļ
A lot of people here whinge about the pollution, but I believe the local weather when they say it is haze, not pollution!
To be honest, there is great training here. This is my home and I love it and I feel one can and does accommodate to the environment you are in.
So what if we have some ¡§haze¡¨ ¡V sure it sucks, but then I read reports on the forum of those who have to train indoors for 6 months of the year.
Living in HK is great, it is a fantastic city, an old trading port that is vibrant with so much going on. There is heaps of sports going on, social life ¡V and so much more. I would encourage anyone to visit, and if you do come from September to December time ¡V maybe on your way to Sing 70.3 or down to the Phuket Laguna Triathlon!
8. What's next for art of tri? Can we expect any new products in the near future? And where do you hope to see the business in the next 5, 10 years?
My goal is to make art of tri the casual clothing brand for triathletes.
Right now I have heaps of plans for new designs and expansion of our hoodies and new products, all variant on our success and growth and I hope these will all come to fruition over the next 12-18 months.
In the next 5-10 years I would like to see art of tri at the forefront of casual clothing for Multisports athletes while we continue to break new ground through our ¡§green ethics¡¨ by way of using new materials, developing closer ties to suppliers and the production process (like Patagonia and Body Shop) along with continuing to make cool designs and great clothes.
Additionally I would like to grow and see our 5% Direct Aid issue being integrated by other companies so we can make a greater collective effort.
I also want to see more race directors and race organizers move to a more ethical and environmentally friendly approach to their races ¡V something that 5430 Sports do with their races and Vineman is doing this year. We are and will be supporting and working with both.
I have designs for new products and items, all retaining our recycled and organic themes.
However, I hope you understand that I would like to keep these a secret¡K after all if the bike brands find out I am planning on making bikes out of recycled paper, using origami techniques they might not be too pleased!
Check out Art of Tri at www.artoftri.com. Or you can meet Toby and check out his tri casual wear in person at this year's Vineman expo!
Photos
1. Art of Tri founder Toby Jones
2. A typical training beach in Hong Kong...sure beats that masters swim pool!
3. Women's Table T-shirt
4. One World hoody
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