Equal parts art and intelligence, ARTILECT perfectly encapsulates the rising tech apparel brand shaking up the Colorado landscape in the best ways. The brand is multi-faceted in that it has two sides—ARTILECT Systems, where they focus on their technical activity-focused apparel, and ARTILECT Studio, where they take those same technologies and re-imagine them for everyday performance. “We also have launched our community-building magazine and social media platform CultureLines,” says Trent Bush, founder and Co-CEO of ARTILECT. We had a chance to chat with Trent to talk about ARTILECT’s formula: combining a strong design aesthetic as a performance enhancer mixed with their future technologies in the intelligence realm.
Tell us about the inception of Artilect.
I am a fourth generation Boulder native, born into the Boulder outdoor industry through Frostline. I started my own brand Twist at Boulder High with my brother and friends, and since then, I have gone on to help lead products for global brands like Burton, Mountain Hardwear and Black Diamond.
ARTILECT is the culmination of a lifetime pursuit of actively applying future innovations and technologies into performance apparel, allowing me to take all those experiences in my direction.
Why does Colorado need Artilect?
Colorado’s fast-changing conditions have shaped the way we create apparel, taking a systems-based approach called A/SYS. The level of athletic output in the outdoors has gotten so high, it’s critical to address external threats, but equally important are the challenges inside the system—moisture management and thermoregulation are incredibly important for the body to perform at its highest level.
How has your experience in the outdoors shaped who you are today?
Beyond traditional outdoors, I’ve been a dedicated skateboarder/snowboarder/splitboarder since the earliest days, and I’ve seen how small movements or ideas have created massive changes in the marketplace. I have a deep understanding of the magic found outside, but I’ve also seen the negative effects of mass consumption and disregard for our planet. All of this has shaped who I am, and what ARTILECT represents.
Tech apparel is a newer concept. How is Artilect shaping the future in this space?
We take a new approach to maximize wearer performance, while also making as little impact on the environment as possible. We throw out any commonplace outdoor industry “rules” and create our future.
For example, ARTILECT is one of the only technical brands completely free of PFA’s, PFC’s, ePTFE, and other “forever chemicals” in our fabrics, while at the same time offering better performance.
We’re also introducing world-first innovations in performance and sustainability before any of the big brands with partners like YKK, ALLIED Feather + Down, Nuyarn, EMPEL, Trizar and Primaloft. You’ll see many of the biggest brands using this technology next year.
What makes Artilect different from the competition?
ARTILECT focuses on the entire experience around the lifestyle, not just the activity. We have a mentality of being “alive in the world,” understanding the importance of the entire 24-hour day. We also have complete gender parity in everything we do, with an equivalent product, including the technologies, in every style we make. We don’t assume that just because you are of a certain gender, that your need for performance isn’t the same.
How has Boulder shaped the creation of Artilect?
ARTILECT wouldn’t exist without Boulder. I’m one of five generations who are all lifetime Boulder entrepreneurs, all who share the love for our outdoor setting and lifestyle.
Boulder has always been an intersection of progressive thinking, technology, and the environment. ARTILECT reflects that spirit 100%, and we are also carrying the torch for our innovators like Holubar, Gerry and Frostline. Pearl Street’s outdoor brand presence is the outcome of Boulder’s importance in the development of the outdoor industry, not a starting point.
When it comes to Artilect’s latest collection, what products are you most excited about?
Our launch season was 100% focused on our Nuyarn Merino Technology, which is a different method of creating merino wool fabrics that allow them to act much more like wool in nature. It’s drier/lighter/stretchier/more durable than any other merino available, and the reviews have been astounding.
What’s next for the brand?
For 2022, we are launching the entire A/SYS system, which is a comprehensive collection of skin-to-environment performance apparel that allows our wearers to perform at the next level, thanks to the incredible innovations and technologies ARTILECT is bringing to the world through our global distribution.