Today we’d like to introduce you to Noah Kershisnik.
Hi Noah, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I’ve always liked to make things and work with my hands. I feel more connected to my life when I actively create the stuff I use. Clothing is an essential aspect of daily life; it is the visual statement you make to the world, yet it is so intimate, literally the closest thing to your body. But for all that, it is so easy to become far removed from it in modern life. Where was it made? Who made it? What is it made of? Most of us don’t give these questions a second thought. I was initially drawn to making clothing because I wanted to know the answers to these questions and understand their meaning. That connection, that understanding, is still what drives me. After years of making clothing for myself, I couldn’t help but want to share with others and find out what more I could (and still can) learn from taking the next step: making clothing for other people. It feels like a logical progression, like a child, focused on itself, growing into adulthood and shifting focus onto the larger community and even the world.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has been a challenging road. Like many creative people, I need help with focus and organization. I have never lost my love for what I do, and I am very grateful for that, but turning my passion into a profitable business has proved very difficult. I constantly have to deal with the reality that if I work the way I want to, with the materials and methods that bring me joy and make me feel fulfilled, it can become very time-consuming and expensive. I don’t want to maintain quality and the sense of authenticity I am after, but I am constantly worried about whether people will share my passion or be willing to pay for it. I still don’t need to find out! But I must remind myself that I do this because I am passionate about it, and compromising on that will not make me happy, even if it sells better. I would rather stay true to myself and find people who recognize the value of what I am making.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I make clothing and accessories to live an authentic life. I want everything I make to be sustainable, ethical, and durable, and I want to support people living an authentic, connected life. Everything has a life; call it animism or vibrations; quality is what Robert Pursing calls it in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Whatever it is, wherever it comes from, everything you interact with will affect you and your life. I want to create things that contribute to that quality, not detract from it. It could be as simple as a white tee shirt, but I aim to create a white tee shirt that gives you a better life.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
It is to be true to my values and standards. It is easy to find a way to make things cheaper, but unsurprisingly, that cheapens your life. It doesn’t have to be expensive; it shouldn’t be cheap.
Contact Info:
- Website: blackrockmfg.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackrockmfg
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackrockmfgco/
Image Credits
PICS 1-4 – Noah Kershisnik, 5-7 Trevor Christensen
