For us, collaboration goes beyond the product. It is about experience, context, and connection to place. We wanted to take this out of the studio and into the environments that inspire it.

So we headed to the Lake District, home to the WCH team, and joined a working woodland site as part of the Restoring Hardknott Forest Project, led by Forestry England in partnership with the University of Leeds.

The project aims to restore a former conifer plantation back to native woodland, rebuilding biodiversity and allowing the landscape to recover over time.

Working alongside Cumbria Woodlands and the Hardknott team, we spent the day contributing to that process. Our task was to remove Sitka spruce, a fast-growing, non-native species commonly used in commercial forestry. Clearing it creates the conditions for native ecosystems to return.

Armed with saws and loppers and guided by the team on the ground, we spread out across the woodland. Each tree removed opens space for light to reach the forest floor and provides opportunity for new growth and regeneration. There is a rhythm to this work, a focus and physicality that connects you directly to the landscape.

Between the work, there were quiet moments to pause, share food, reset, and take in our surroundings. These experiences are simple, physical, and shared, and they reflect why we care about the natural world.

Our relationship with Working Class Heroes has been built over years, shaped by a shared love of the outdoors, considered design, and functionality. As they now celebrate their 20th year, it felt like a natural moment to come together and create something that reflects both our worlds and our joint commitment to nature.

The result is a focused collaboration: the Kiln backpack, the Semer sling, and the Rill t-shirt. A small system of sustainable essentials designed for everyday use, rooted in the same outdoor mindset that defines everything we do at ELLIKER. Pieces made to move through cities, into landscapes, and everywhere in between, and inspired by the conservation work that brought us together.