Allow us to introduce you to Gunnar Hansen.

He also rips on two sticks, and when he's not busy playing in the white stuff or working tirelessly at his 9-5, you can find him working from his sewing machine in Bozeman, MT as he takes old, thrashed ski gear and breathes new life into it.

Behind the scenes with Gunnar as he begins his creative process with some retired TREW Gear. Photo by Shannon Corsi.

Gunnar grew up in a pair of ski boots and has been a long-time customer of TREW. Over the years, Gunnar has found his solution to an age-old skier problem... the accumulation of old jackets which no one wants to toss out due to the sentimental and monetary value of these items. Rather than leaving them to the ol' landfill, Gunnar decided to take matters into his own hands. 

Putting passion to use at his Juki sewing machine. Photo by Shannon Corsi.

Fast forward a couple of years, and Gunnar has been using our recycled gear to make some of the most badass unique waterproof hats on the market.

Some of Gunnar’s first 5-panel hat creations. Photo by Shannon Corsi.

We originally came to know Gunnar a couple of years ago through his instagram featuring a splattering of images showing off his creations, many of which showcase a large thumbs up. Gunnar was among one of our very first creators and makers in, and a huge proponent behind, The Afterlife - where we sell lightly used, repaired, and skillfully upcycled gear. And now we can’t imagine doing this without him!

Check out Gunnar's Instagram for a realtime look at what he's making in his spare time, and shop his one-of-a-kind hats in The Afterlife.

Feature photo by Shannon Corsi.