Tentsile Blog
With Tentsile into the jungles of Cambodia
Snakes, ex Khmer Rouge soldiers, hidden pyramids, fighting with dogs and bleeding from both ends. The epic journey.
Leaving China to renew my visa, I chose to avoid Europe, and instead trail through Cambodia. So I landed in Siem Reap with a small bag and nowhere booked to stay.
How green is Tentsile really? The life cycle of a Tentsile tent:
But then I thought - how are our tents really made? Where do the raw materials come from? What is the whole process and real impact from our manufacturing? So I did a bit of digging and here it is. The honest life story of a Tentsile tent:
ISPO Shanghai last week
Little did we know that an hour later we would face a similar plight. Walking around the show we soon realised that we were the only western brand tents there.
Why Take Workers on Holiday?
The workers mostly came from small villages 5-7 years ago and have been working in other factories in the area – some in pretty bad conditions, but mostly have been treated well since they work hard know their stuff! They didn't care much for us at first. Westerners running a Chinese factory, what's the difference? Many Westerns are already there and many, run the factories in the same way as Chinese owners would because it's cheap and no one complains.
How to hug three trees at once: Inside a tent designed for maximum ecotherapy.
At the end of the day, it is hard to measure the impact that Tentsile has on the world, except through the experiences of the Tentsile user community (many of whom are active bloggers). For every tent sold, the Tentsile company plants three trees through the organization, WeForest.org. It’s a good start, but the rest is up to us: the users and explorers. Happy camping...
The Issue of Quality
When we spend our hard earned cash on an expensive product we expect it to be top notch, right? We work hard, we save hard, and we think very carefully about what we spend our money on. Yet, when the thing you want to invest in is a new invention, a new concept, something that pushes the boundaries of progress, when that something is an innovation that adds to our human experience, sometimes we need to show patience and trust, and nurture these ideas, and give them time to develop and grow.
Just Another (Fa)bric in the Wall
But there is a fine line to tread between pioneering innovation and reputation. Quite simply, there are enough people waiting out there for a chance to rip you down without a thought towards how hard you have worked to get to where you are. A fine line. Our job is to walk that line, always ensuring quality, novelty and safety, without compromise. And so we put the question to you: ‘walls’ or no ‘walls’. You help us decide.
Geeking Out About Fly Sheets
There has been much hype about the lightweight SilNyl (silicone coated ripstop nylon). When if comes to shaving a few ounces off your flysheet/rainfly it certainly looks promising.
Treehouses to Tree Tents
Well, we have done our part to forward the mission to achieve this. But more importantly, we have found that most people want to be mobile. That is the ticket. A treehouse represents adventure, secrets, hide aways, playfulness, a magical immersion into the landscape, perhaps even escapism from the “normal” world. A different perspective.
Updates From The Factory
This week we finally got the long awaited patent examination report which means that we can now keep copycats in check. We've also got a top gun lawyer and he is doing a sterling job.
Tentsile is Two Years Old But I'm Still not in a Hammock!
This week, Tentsile turns two years old. So firstly, we'd like to thank all of you for keeping us alive.
Tree tents and orangutans: Tentsile's going to Sumatra!
In April last year, our photographer friend, Andrew Walmsley, had a life-changing experience on a trip to Sumatra. Supported by Sumatran Orangutan Society, he spent several days in the field...
