A creative Kamloops couple are looking to Clearwater in the North Thompson Valley to potentially be the “perfect place” to build their made-in-Canada business manufacturing facility in the next couple of years.
Mike Nasadyk and Mattea Madsen have put their professional expertise as outdoor enthusiasts with strong logging and forestry knowledge into their progressive clothing line company, Six Seasons Hiking Apparel.
Black Press interviewed the couple during a pop-up event on location at the Hillside Canadian Tire store on Saturday, March 15 and the weather seemed to compliment the outdoor clothing line with shifting snow showers, wind-blown sleet and sprinkles.
Mike and Mattea have converted a Sea-Can container into a functional mobile store complete with a fine wood finished interior display including a dressing room. The space is specifically designed to welcome customers as a warm outside fire glows brightly with comfy lawn chairs set up, and a large information counter hosted by the couple to answer questions about their unique line of clothing and outdoor gear.
“We are partners in life and business,” Mike said smiling at Mattea, when asked about why they are interested in Clearwater, “It symbolizes everything that we enjoy, it’s an outdoor paradise with hiking, snowmobiling, fishing, and year-round full season activities.”
“It’s a complementary backdrop to what our dream, our vision is,” added Mattea, “We are realistic, since Clearwater doesn’t offer the supplies we need at this time, we will be doing back and forth supply runs, so it will take time to establish ourselves there. But it’s a total lifestyle fit for us for sure and the community is so welcoming. Personally, we aren’t huge city people by nature, but Clearwater isn’t that far from getting the supplies we need and it’s a place we would rather spend most of our time, more conducive to how we live.”
She continued to describe their vision for manufacturing, “This will be made-in-Canada focused, so we want to build a big enough space that we can sort of invest in. You know, with the best equipment to make our products in Canada which in turn will make the process more financially viable in the long run. We intend to invest in the technology and equipment needed even though a bit more expensive at first, but that will enable us to guarantee our products are ethical and sustainable.”
Mike agreed, adding, “We come from a logging background, and we all know that the top-of-the-line equipment, highest quality is the most important thing in your show. So, bringing that mindset into it. We’re going to be best at creating the highest quality, and most technical which will give us the advantage.”
The couple hopes to inspire other like-minded businesses to be more accessible, possibly even offer space eventually in their facility for things like a hot yoga studio, juice bar or coffee bar, perhaps even inviting suppliers to move to the area with the attraction being a better quality of life, more efficient production environment and appealing “work life balance”.
Most recently the Six Season’s couple approached Thompson Rivers University surveying 31 adventure studies students for their feedback on their hiking pant design and the students are now contributing to the development of the pants.
“We were told by the instructor that most of the students in the Adventure Tourism program end up going to Clearwater hoping to become guides and now we will have their input into some of our designs,” said Mike.
Mattea said Clearwater checks all of the boxes for their vision and they want to be somewhere “outdoorsy” and the people they have approached while exploring the area have been really welcoming.
“Clearwater is really looking towards business development. Kamloops is a great shipping hub and it’s not that far for us to take inventory or bring it or ship in any direction. We actually don’t mind the drive.”
The couple are dedicated to learning more about what Clearwater residents and the district’s business community vision is for the future to be able to work “in partnership” with the area as well as expanding while providing employment to locals. “We hope to not only bring our own brand to the community in this facility but possibly attract other brands in to contribute to economic development,” said Mike. “We are excited and looking forward to the future.”
