Throughout periods of great change, many of us find it comforting to return to the stories we know well. They provide safety, stability and a sense of security – even if just for a few pages. While reading a new column by marine social scientist and Finisterre ambassador Dr Easkey Britton in Issue 13 (coming soon) I was grateful to be reminded of the sanctity of storytelling.

She writes: “Stories help us make sense of the world, our places within it, and can spark curiosity and wonder that can form new connections, new ideas and new ways of thinking about the ocean and our relationship with it.”

Stories can, and should, be told in as many ways as is possible. Tales of bold ocean farers, naturalists, biologists, explorers and scientists from our history should be retold, not only to inform new generations of past triumphs, but to inspire them to carry the torch forward.

It’s likely that if you’ve found yourself here with Oceanographic, then you’ve already heard of Finisterre. Founded by Tom Kay in 2003, it has spent nearly 20 years tracking down and utilising the most sustainable methods and materials to create their pieces. In 2018, it became a B Corps certified company. They offer a repairs service. They work out of a building in St Agnes that overlooks the sea and the team go surfing and cliff walking together.

“I spent sixteen years in the city, always yearning to be by the coast,” the Finisterre lead menswear designer, Andrew Todd, told me. “They first time the team took me surfing, I was just staring down at the water and then out to sea. To be able to look into the distance, to look out at miles of unknown. It’s something incredible. I think that’s how my Finisterre career has been so far.”

The stories the team choose to tell through their collections are authentic and absorbing. From collaborations with the RNLI to ground-breaking research into creating the Seasuit, the team at Finisterre preserve their material for deeper messages.

“We do a lot of collaborations, but it’s not about hype or fashion or trying to churn out a product,” said Todd. “Originally, the collaborations were about trying to maybe turn our hand to a product that wasn’t so easy to create. But it’s also about who we can introduce our customers to – like-minded businesses and groups that stand for something.”