SEAS THE DAY
These Canadian companies are turning up the
heat with their beach-ready accessories
By Dani Wright
I N V E N T O R Y
5. Tropic Like
It's Hot
For over 30 years,
Marc Schroeder has
been handcrafting
sandals at Vernon-
based Sole Doc.
Yes, the shoes are
stylish, but the
big draw is their
orthopedic benefits:
from an ergonomic
design (with killer
arch support) to
lightweight materials,
these shoes are made
for walking. Sole Doc
also offers completely
custom-made sandals
and will rebuild
customers' favourite
worn-out pairs, even
if they're from a
different brand.
soledoc.ca
2. Catch Some
Rays
Tanya Gervais
founded Kelowna-
based Just Sun
out of a desire for
a sunscreen that
provides efficient
sun protection
without the use of
harsh chemicals. The
brand's signature
body sunscreen is
lavender-scented,
dermatologist-tested,
reef-friendly and safe
for babies over six
months old. Though
it's made with zinc
oxide, Just Sun—
unlike a lot of other
mineral sunscreens—
doesn't leave a white
cast after applying.
justsun.ca
4. Vitamin Sea
Sean Alexander
started Calgary-based
cooler company
Kailani as a paddle
board company, but
that changed when
he realized that not
everyone is into the
watersport. There was
another factor, too. "I
was disenchanted with
the retail price of the
big names in coolers
but appreciated the
quality of products they
made," he says. So, he
and his team developed
their own moulds and
tooling to create a
Canadian-made hard
cooler that rivals any
big-name brand in
not just in quality and
dependability, but
also in impeccably
cool design.
kailanioutdoors.com
1. Beach, Please
Founded by Joanna
Griffiths in 2013, Toronto-
based undergarment
company Knix (known
for leakproof underwear)
opened its first-ever
store in B.C. in 2019. The
brand's fashionable
and supportive
swimwear line was
launched the next year,
and in March of 2025 it
dropped its new Swim
2 line. "Our latest swim
collection is designed
to do more—featuring
sculpting fabric that
smooths and supports
like never before.
Select styles also offer
leakproof protection
that absorbs up to
one regular tampon's
worth of blood—so
you can move freely,
no matter what," says
Luke Vachon, VP of
brand at Knix.
knix.ca
3. Shell Yeah
Peruvian-born David
Schiaffino Quinteros
founded Ucluelet-
based West Coast
Shapes in 2011 when
he realized that most
boards available at
Canadian surf shops
were made abroad. To
avoid high shipping
costs and invest in the
local surf community,
the three-time world
champion long-
boarder decided to
start crafting his own
high-quality, boards
suited for local waves.
The eye-catching
designs are available
in different styles
and shapes that
cater to the surfer's
ability level.
wcsukee.com
6. A Shore Thing
Dario Phillips says he
and co-founders Kyle
Spencer and Wylie
Von Tempsky were
"uninspired by the
low quality, boring
designs and oversized
corporate brand
logos" of most beach
towels, so they left
their corporate jobs
and started Ucluelet-
based Slowtide. The
brand incorporates
designs from local
artists in all of their
products: from
changing ponchos to
lightweight Turkish
towels. "We always
looked at our prod-
ucts as a way for our
customers to express
themselves outdoors,"
says Phillips.
slowtide.ca
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