Editor’s Note: This article is presented by our friends at Carve Designs.
“Caring for the planet is caring for our kids.” That’s part of the ethos at Carve Designs, the sustainable swimwear brand that’s designed by women, for women. It’s also the message that they want to get across in their latest film, titled Mothers, Purpose + The Future.
Part of a new sustainability initiative from Carve Designs called “Women X Good,” Mothers, Purpose + The Future is a short documentary-style film shining a spotlight on mothers who are surfers, adventurers, and environmentalists. The film features four women and their unique approaches to parenting, and the way that they are teaching their children to respect and find joy in the natural world. The film, produced in partnership with filmmaker and creative director Hannah Walsh, can be viewed on Carve Designs’ website, social sites including Facebook, Instagram, and Vimeo, and will be submitted for the upcoming film festival circuit.
Left to right: Camille Cunningham, Nellie Pickett, Danielle Black Lyons, and Cameron Lee Barnum. Photo: Carve Designs.
Camille Cunningham’s lifelong love affair with the ocean fuels her endless desire to leave beaches better than she found them, and she can often be seen spending time before and after surfing picking up trash on the beaches. She shares her passion with her two daughters by forming small intentional habits to help make powerful shifts in their community of Sayulita, Mexico.
Originally from Montana where she was born and raised on a remote ranch, Nellie Pickett set out in a 1971 Airstream with her husband and two children just before the pandemic hit. They’ve driven across the country in their Airstream, where Nellie has been using the great outdoors to teach their children to love and value the natural landscape, and stay wild at heart.
Danielle Black Lyons of San Diego, California is the mother of one, who is building a better world for her son through her surf collective, “Textured Waves” which is dedicated to promoting greater inclusion among underrepresented communities in the water.
Cameron Lee Barnum is raising two young children and teaching them to tread lightly from the freedom of their RV in Florida. As a military family, the Barnums can pick up and go at a moment’s notice, allowing them to move with the seasons and show their children diverse landscapes and a variety of classrooms where nature is the teacher.
Camille takes her daughters for a surf. Photo: Carve Designs.
“Motherhood is the most important job in the world, and these amazing women are teaching their children that the Earth is a beautiful playground that we all need to share responsibly,” says filmmaker Hannah Walsh. “I’m honored to work with Carve Designs to spotlight their stories and the powerful effect their example can have for others.”
Carve Designs was founded almost 20 years ago by two mothers, Thayer Sylvester and Jennifer Hinton, “on an ethos of sustainability,” says Sylvester. Over 85 percent of their collection is made from recycled, upcycled or organic materials, and they do their part to support organizations with an environmental mission, as well as produce inspiring content.
Danielle takes her son for a surf. Photo: Carve Designs.
“As women – as caretakers and as mothers – we know that there’s nothing more important than being good stewards of Mother Earth. The women featured in these short films beautifully represent the confident, inspirational, feminine ideal of Carve Designs,” says Jennifer Hinton, the company’s co-founder and creative director.
Mothers, Purpose + The Future is available to view on the Carve Designs website, as well as social sites like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
