Do you remember Nau? Do you remember when it first emerged in Portland? It's easy to forget, but back in 2007, Nau's central premise was making clothing that was made to perform in an outdoor setting—during a bicycle commute, or on a hike after work—as well as pass muster in a sophisticated urban setting.

It's a combination of lifestyle requirements that's quintessential to Portland, and has come to pervade much of the design strategy for outdoor wear of the past decade. Nau combined that trendsetting approach with an out-front commitment to sustainable practices, including a Portland flagship store where customers tried on samples and ordered purchases from a kiosk, in an effort to reduce excess shipping and inventory footprints.

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  • GREG COMOLLO

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