Written by Melanie Gath
For the second time now, I’ve had the chance to sit down and talk with this incredibly inspiring family. It’s been a little over a year since I spoke with Carly and Mike Walton about their trip to Switzerland. In the summer of 2024, the family spent more than two weeks exploring the country. Together with Switzerland Tourism, we invited them over.
On the one hand, we wanted to show them our home with its breathtaking nature, and on the other hand, we also had an idea. If you read the blog post from our last conversation closely, you might remember that we hinted at a joint product development. We promised to share more details later. Well… “later” is now.
Let us introduce this wonderful family, who mean so much to namuk: there’s mom Carly, dad Mike, and their four daughters – Whitney, Mara, Becca, and Melanie. The family lives in Utah, USA. Nature is at the heart of everything they do. Spending time together outdoors, going on adventures, exploring the world – that’s what brings them the most joy.
“They love art and they love drawing”
When the family came to visit us on July 10, 2024, at our Zurich home base, the “Zuhause der Eule” – right at the start of their journey through Switzerland – we already had something special prepared for the kids. While we were still exploring the idea of developing a product together, Mike came to us ahead of time with an even better idea. Looking back he says: “I thought it would be really fun to have the girls maybe do drawings. I knew they would be excited for two things. First: to be involved in the project. And they love art and they love drawing.”
Carly looks back on that moment at the namuk office: “They were just excited.” When the namuk team told them they’d get to help design a new product – and handed them their journals – they were just: “No way. That's so fun.” Carly says: “The namuk team took the idea to the next level. It was an evolution of ideas. So perfect for the girls.”
“Drawing and creating art in all these places”
I had already seen photos from their time in Switzerland, showing the girls sitting in the most beautiful mountain landscapes, sketching in their journals. I asked Carly and Mike how those drawings came to life and how the young artists approached the process. Mike explains that there may have been a few words of inspiration or encouragement here and there, but: “It became that thing. We would go on hikes and would make sure they had their journals. They would open it up and they would draw. Drawing and creating art in all these places. Everyone on their own. Everybody had kind of a different perspective and things to draw.”
As they share their stories, my heart can’t help but skip a beat. I say to them, “What a beautiful way to create and capture memories.” And honestly – isn’t this such a great idea for us parents to take along on future adventures? Especially for kids who love to observe, take their time, and whose sense of curiosity really comes alive when they’re out in nature.
Mike explains that wildlife and the great outdoors were a big theme. And beyond that, the whole world of transportation also played a role: “The bike that made it into the final design, which is so cute.”
“A very special moment”
“What did the girls say when they saw the finished product for the first time?” I ask them both. Mike shares: “Having the girls make that realization that their drawings have a life beyond that page and to see them turn into an actual product was a very special moment. They were very excited.”
When they left, the girls handed their journals over to the namuk team, full of excitement to see what would come of them. Carly and Mike tell me they later took the package – with the finished product and the journals – along on a camping trip to surprise the kids. And when they finally opened it, their eyes went straight to the journals – like rediscovering a little piece of their own adventure all over again. “A flood of memories coming back to them”, says Mike. “It was like seeing a friend again almost.” And when they then held the shirt in their hands, they instantly began spotting their own drawings all over again: “That's my frog. I drew that.”
While the young artists in the Walton family are behind the beautiful design of the new Lika shirt, the idea for the style of the hooded longsleeve came from Carly and Mike. And when it came to finding the right material, they teamed up closely with the namuk product team to find the perfect solution together.
“I am sure the girls will live in this”
“The concept was just having a lightweight shirt that has a hood to protect you from the elements”, Mike explains. They love spending a lot of time in warm, sunny environments. And he himself has always appreciated having the option to simply pull up a hood in those moments, to protect himself from the strong sun.
When asked in which situations and on which adventures the shirt might become a must-have for them, Carly and Mike reply: “Anytime we are in a sunny environment, where we are in the elements. Climbing, hiking, playing outside, playgrounds. Everywhere.” Mike brings up a rafting trip they have planned and says: “I am sure the girls will live in this. It is great material.”
“We really love that it was the recycled fabric”
Carly also tells me that during their visit to the namuk office, they got to learn more about the material. The shirt is made of 90% Econyl – just like the Linn, the Fin rashguard, the Phos outdoor pants, and the Dip swim shorts. “We really love that it was the recycled fabric. Recycled fishing nets. I think that is an amazing story”, she says. “It is good for marketing but it also is just good for the planet. And it is very light and stretchy.”
At the end, they also tell me that only now their girls have really started to understand that they’ve created something people all over the world can actually buy. “They couldn’t believe it,” Mike says.
Carly and Mike are sure the young artists will almost burst with pride when they see other children wearing the shirt in the future: “They’ll tell everyone that they did this. So proud.”
“The sunglasses are so adorable”
So here’s the story behind the development of this unique product with an even more unique design – but the namuk team had one more idea. With the Lika Shirt, we already protect skin and head from too much sun exposure and make hours of outdoor summer fun possible. But what’s missing? What else should we definitely protect on our sunny adventures – especially when it comes to kids? Their eyes. Because children’s eyes are particularly sensitive to UV rays. namuk’s answer: the Tis sunglasses – also designed with the girls’ own creations.
“These sunglasses are so adorable,” Mike says. “Just today we were out wearing them and Whitney said ‘Oh my goodness look at the tiny owl!’ The girls have absolutely loved the glasses.” When they first opened the package, the girls could hardly believe their own drawings were actually on the sunglasses. “They are packaged well and fit all our girls' ages, which is a huge plus.”
They’re designed specifically for kids aged 4 to 7. The lenses offer 100% UV protection – category 3, meaning a darker tint that lets only 8–18% of light through. And because little explorers can be tough on their gear, the lenses are scratch-resistant and the frame is extremely flexible, lightweight, and durable – made from Tritan™ Renew, a BPA-free, hypoallergenic material consisting of 50% certified recycled plastic.
We think that pretty much completes the ultimate summer sun adventure outfit. What do you think?
Discover the looks of the adventurous Walton family:
