So here it is: this is who we are, where we came from and more importantly, where we are going. It’s as accurate as we can remember, so bear with us if there’s a few dates or details that are a bit out of place, a lot has happened in a short time. Enjoy.

It all started in West Wales, sitting in a van, waiting for the surf. Having been looking around shops all afternoon we had decided that £40 for a rash vest and £25 for a t-shirt was definitely too much to pay and that the designs on them sucked. With three guys crammed into a van, the talk soon moved onto how we could obviously do better. At the time it seemed like one of those chats, like the time we decided we could run the country better than the current prime minister. Although we all still think we could.

The same group of guys headed out for a ski and snowboard trip to France, and in a bar one night a similar route of conversation was taken up about how expensive hoodys were, and how poor the designs generally were. A pattern seemed to be emerging.

Following discussions on the same topics - the price of clothing, quality of design and the lack of support for young sports people - every time we met, it was decided that we should either shut up, or do something about it. We spoke to some of our design happy mates, a few printers, got some money together, and set about getting some hoodys made up. Simple.

With a couple of boxes of hoodys, in total containing 75 garments bearing 3 different designs, we headed out to BUSC, the British University Snowsports Championships to try our luck and see how our designs went down. All 75 hoodys were sold, with the profits going to support the efforts of several local kids who were aiming to meet British Team criteria for the season. Not only did the hoodys sell out, we received emails and phone calls asking for more and for futur-3 to design clothing for several university teams. We looked to be in business.

With the success of the trial run fresh in mind, the futur-3 team sat down to discuss what our plans were to be. Following heated discussion, our decision was this: We would design custom graphics that reflected our outlook on life, as well as finding a way to support the sports that we loved. We would limit our print runs to ensure that each piece had the impact it required and we would grow through word of mouth and good will. There was nothing that we wouldn’t attempt and we would only work on jobs that interested and challenged us, rather than those that offered monetary rewards. It was almost like we had a business plan, a client base and workforce, and it felt good.

Over the next twelve months skateboard graphics, beanies and laptop covers all received customisation courtesy of our designers, and futur-3’s own label clothing sold out as soon as it was produced, helping raise funds for numerous good causes.

Following a positive creative year, producing critically acclaimed clothing and working on unique customisation projects, the bubble burst. With the majority of our designers finishing their final year at university, the core futur-3 team that had been together from the start looked like it would fall apart, as international London based design agencies snapped up the talented artists we had on our books. As a small company who’s profits went back into sport, we had always know this time would come, but that didn’t make it any easier when it did. The majority of the designers agreed that the best option for the company, that they had helped build, would be to operate with as few full time staff as possible. This would minimize costs and would allow for designers to work freelance when a job that interested them appeared. It looked to be the best way forward, so it was agreed. Just when we seemed to be growing, we were cut back down to basics.

Recognising the support that we gave to both sport and athletes, futur-3 was selected to design, create and supply the training clothing for the England Ski Team. The profit margin from this job went back to the sports governing body to help fund the team.

The brand continued to be “expressed world-wide” as the futur-3 design team help create the identity for acdac.com, a new ski academy based in Austria. The branding and clothing was a bigger success than expected, prompting more calls to the design team for brand identity work for small businesses.

Following discussions with the organising committee, we agreed to sponsor BUSC 2006 for the duration of the year, supplying prizes for 7 separate events and designing the critically acclaimed BUSC merchandise. BUSC easily sold out of the limited edition BUDS hoodys, along with the “What is BUSC?” clothing and the summer session t-shirts we provided for them, with all profits going to support the newly formed futur-3 team.

The futur-3 sponsored Wycombe Summit Ski Team won the National Championships, regaining the title it last won five years ago. Good work guys, we know the training you all put in for it.

Just six months on from losing our key designers, and what at the time had seemed like the end for futur-3, we were doing better than ever. More and more emails were coming in asking about custom design work for various projects, and we were supporting more and more individual athletes and teams. The idea of working with designers on a freelance basis was more successful than we could have ever hoped for, and allowed us to work with a wider scope of artists.

Our good friend and futur-3 athlete Chemmy Alcott headed to Turin to represent Great Britain on the world stage at the 2006 Winter Olympics. She achieved the best results ever for a British female alpine skier, and the limited edition run of 150 Chemmy Alcott hoodys sold out within days of production. All funds from this job went to charities of Chemmys choice. Congratulations Chemmy and thanks for working with us! Look out for her at the 2010 Olympics.

The futur-3 sponsored Bristol University Ski Team won the National University Championships, making the title it’s own, with a sixth victory in seven years. Congratulations to the team from all of us at futur-3.

Following numerous emails requesting more information over the previous three years, www.futur-3.com goes live, showcasing the talents of the athletes we support and the skills of the designers we work with. The company is in a stronger position than ever before and is constantly developing, allowing us to support more and more sports whilst still leaving enough free time to get outside and enjoy ourselves. Do the same. Get out there and ride. Enjoy