Overstory
First, pause.
To settle in the moment.
Breathe. To prepare.
There. All set to explore.
Now, let's step outside.
This complex world gets a bit hectic at times. In those moments, it’s good to aim for clarity. It’ll help you stick to your true path.
We at Tarvas design products that support every millimetre of your journeys. Whether those wanders take you out into the wild or inward into the mind. Or, more often, to the intersection of your inner and outer journeys. By resisting the unpredictable Nordic weather with style, our functional products give you peace to focus on what you value.
Based in Helsinki, Finland, we have firm roots in the city yet are always near nature (and just a gust away from offbeat weather). We produce our footwear locally – it’s a combination of a basement workshop in the city and a rural factory in the middle of the woods.
The forest inspires us. Nature brings clarity and keeps you connected with yourself. The body is active and the mind gets rest. Among the wildlife, we also sense the presence of our spirit animal, the ancient moose Tarvas, who taught us you can both care for the herd and stay true to your path.
When you move along at your own pace from urban scenes to forest greens, we’ve got your back. As you brush your hands against trees and pause to feel the moist moss, your mind is free to wander along its own paths. You spot a mushroom that leads you to more. There is peace to be in the moment and effortlessly true to yourself.
We’re with you on your journeys.
Step outside to explore inside.
Understory
How do you create a shoe that is resistant to unpredictable weather conditions and lives up to high aesthetic standards?
To answer that we, a group of footwear professionals, got together in Helsinki to create a functional style statement. We worked on and refined a footwear silhouette inspired by the Nordic climate and timeless style. The thinking was: if it works here, it’ll work anywhere.
From the start we were true to what we believed in, making the shoes authentic and premium, making sure they look good, last and keep your feet happy.
To make all the different features work perfectly we crafted countless prototypes in our basement workshop. Finally, things clicked into place and we were happy. So, in 2017 the first batch of Tarvas footwear was introduced to the world.
For us, the design was never only about the shoe – it was about what it makes possible for you. When the shoe lives up to all our demands, it serves your inner and outer journeys. You’re free to explore where open outdoor spaces and your own inner spaces meet.
We have continued honing the design. Seeing more and more people wander in our shoes and witnessing how they relate to Tarvas has encouraged us to expand our portfolio beyond footwear.
We advance on our journeys. So that when you step outside, you have the peace to explore inside.
