One of the things that have always impressed me about the skateboarding industry is the sheer pervasiveness of it. It has inspired art, music, accessories, apparel, furniture, home construction, cultural understanding and design as well as spurred cottage industries. Among the businesses that skateboarding has inspired is Art on Board.
Art on Board is one of the organizations that understands and appreciates the functionality of a skateboard on multiple levels. Founded by a former skateboarder, the company has a very symbiotic relationship with the skate community. It turns skateboard fragments into sustainable commercial and residential interior design solutions as well as gives back to the skate community in various ways.
The company’s work intrigued me to the point that I decided to make contact with Rich Moorhead, the company’s founder, in an attempt to learn more. We ended up talking about his work, the skateboarding industry, the environment and the economy.
Here’s what Rich had to say:
Gonzalez: Please tell us a little bit about your business. What inspired you to come up with the concept of Art on Board and what was the most challenging aspect of getting the business started?
Moorhead: Art of Board was born peripherally from my desire to open a skate shop 10 years ago. Bored with corporate life, I recognized a demand for a shop locally and thought it would be refreshing to reconnect with my youth as a skater. The shop never happened, in large part because local folks wouldn't rent to me knowing it was a skate shop.
During this same period of time, my nephew was heavily into skating and had a pile of broken decks slated for the trash. Having a carpentry background, I asked him to hold off on the trash bin, as I saw something in the worn graphics, scrapes and gashes appearing on every deck. From there I started experimenting with hat racks, picture frames and mirrors.
I began showing my creations to skate shops outside the local area and questioned where their broken decks ended up……..I saw a pattern developing, with a consistent answer of "we trash them". Shops were more than happy to donate their piles of wreckage, knowing I was doing something creative in return.
As my projects evolved, so did the possibilities in working with the form pressed material. Developing a method using small squares, which created a very colorful palate, minimized waste, and allowed the curved material to lie flat, I began experimenting with a tile concept. Knowing the industry was littered with broken decks, I was sure this could be the sustainable solution for the skate industry, providing true environmental impact.
My original mosaic, entitled "The Art of Board" in 2005 was my first attempt at grouting the material, hence giving birth to what is now known as Art of Board. Five years later the demand for our Sk8 Tile feeds off of our grass roots recycling movement called "I Ride I Recycle" and is the first comprehensive recycling movement to the skateboard industry.
Gonzalez: What was the initial reaction you got from the skateboarding community to Art of Board’s mission and was it what you had expected?
Moorhead: As we expanded our efforts from regional to nationwide, communicating our movement typically comes down to an initial phone call or email to a prospective shop. One shop in particular hung up on me, thinking I was selling something………so I simply called them back.
That same shop, West Side Skate Shop in Cleveland, OH has been recycling their broken decks for over four years with AOB. Most shops are owned by environmentally conscious people with a stake in doing the right thing, and have absolutely embraced Art of Board/I Ride I Recycle.
Gonzalez: How has Art on Board’s efforts been received by the residential and commercial design industry and has it been what you had expected?
Moorhead: We recently displayed at the ICFF Show in NYC, where our Sk8 Tile created tons of buzz with the design community, both residential and commercial. Our product is so unexpected and refreshing that we typically leave designers beside themselves. With a product that offers environmental impact, colorful landscapes and an edgy coolness of skateboarding………..how can you miss?!
Gonzalez: What are some of the commercial interiors that your company has worked on?
Moorhead: With a few high profile projects in the works, Art of Board is proud to have contributed to the LEED Platinum, Cherokee Lofts in West Hollywood, which was featured in Interior Design Magazine last summer, as well as the latest issue of Tile Magazine.
Our product was also an integral part of the Life Rolls On (A Subsidiary of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation) boardroom and reception area. Art of Board has no limits to its application, including libraries, universities and even surf shops.
Gonzalez: What accomplishments are you most proud of and why?
Moorhead: I'm proud of finding a solution to the mountains of waste sitting in skate shops across the country and creating a business that gives back to skateboarding in so many ways.
Gonzalez: In your estimation, how many trees are cut down annually to support the action sports industry hard goods market?
Moorhead: That would be a guess on my part but when you consider millions of skateboarders replacing multiple decks every year, it's substantial.
Gonzalez: I read that your company employs skateboarders. How has skateboarding changed since you started to immerse yourself in it? Do you think that those changes have added or subtracted from the sport?
Moorhead: Yes, my partners have a skateboarding history and continue riding today. It was their love of the sport that gravitated them to AOB, with the thought that they could make a difference.
Skateboarding is a fickle, sensitive industry that becomes hard to pin down. What's hot today may not be tomorrow. Online shops make it even more difficult for small shops to thrive, and may represent the biggest challenge of moving forward. I've seen many shops come and go since AOB came about, and at least some of that is due to the change that has occurred with the online presence. I Ride I Recycle will challenge this shift, forcing the recycling effort to the heart of the industry……… the local skateshop.
Gonzalez: Where do you see the future of action sports going and what role do you and your organization hope to play in it?
Moorhead: Action sports aren't going away and sustainability is only going to become more relevant. You don't have to look any further than the surf industry that has a major struggle on their hands with the boards that are used and the eco-unfriendly materials used in them. Art of Board is positioning itself as the architect of sustainability within skateboarding, with I Ride I Recycle being the blueprint.
Gonzalez: How many tons of skateboard material do you recycle annually?
Moorhead: To place a tonnage estimate on our recycling movement would be difficult, but I can say that I Ride I Recycle has proven a successful resource for the industry and a sustainable solution for shops and skateparks across the country.
Gonzalez: Is Art on Board currently working with or being supported by any well-known skate artists, major skate companies or skate pros?
Moorhead: We just completed Coastal Carnage with Converse at the US Open of Surf and it went incredibly. There are many things in the works that are exciting for the future of AOB.
Gonzalez: What are the tangible and intangible benefits to the skate shops and skaters that participate in the Art on Board/ I Ride I Recycle Program?
Moorhead: Art of Board is all about supporting the shops that support I Ride I Recycle. With a simple recycling movement we encourage skateboarders to physically bring their broken decks to their local shop vs. an online experience, which promotes shop traffic.
We also have recycling contest where Art of Board purchases a "complete" skateboard from a participating shop and awards it to the skater bringing in the most recycled decks. We recently had a winner at Pitcrew in Frederick MD where the winner hauled in 90 decks! Pitcrew has been on board from the beginning and has donated over 1,000 broken decks to the AOB movement. Our program is a win-win for the shop, the skater and the industry.
Gonzalez: Please tell us a little bit about the skateboard recycling process. Is the process labor intensive? How long does it take to recycle a skateboard?
Moorhead: The broken decks arrive to my shop via prepaid shipping labels provided by AOB. Shops already have boxes from a steady flow of new decks arriving on a regular basis. The broken decks are placed in the box, shipping labels adhered and handed to UPS upon arriving for deliveries (no scheduling necessary), with no disruption to the shop. Decks arrive to my shop, stacked and await selection for cutting. The rest is my secret!
Gonzalez: Besides skateboard decks, what other materials does Art on Board recycle?
Moorhead: We're all about skateboarding and have no sights set on any other products at this time……….however, we do recycle the grip tape left on the deck!
Gonzalez: How many boards do you donate to Boards for Bros per year and what other charities/social causes is your company actively involved with?
Moorhead: We've just started dialog with Boards for Bros and will do a charity art exhibit through Skatepark of Tampa in November to kick things off. Because we deal with broken decks, I probably have 50 decks to donate on behalf of Art of Board. Other skate based charities and causes include The Tony Hawk Foundation, Grind for Life, Johnny Romano Skate Jam, Reid Menzer Memorial Skate Park and others.
Gonzalez: Is your company planning anything special for Earth Day 2012?
Moorhead: It will be a surprise, it will be fun and it will be big!
Gonzalez: How has the current economic climate affected Art on Board and what are you doing in response to those affects?
Moorhead: Our products are very labor intensive and hands-on, which is also the appeal. People have responded to a product that represents the "human touch". Not only in our process but also in the skaters abuse of the deck, creating artwork through every scrape and gash. The economy could be better but it won't change what we do, it will only expand it. Stay tuned!
Gonzalez: What are your thoughts on Global Warming and President Obama encouraging Americans to look towards Green Jobs for the future?
Moorhead: Without getting political, I think we all have a responsibility to reduce waste. This was instilled in me through my parents, who were of the generation that waste wasn't an option and reusing materials was expected. Today, it's hard to find a company without a Green Initiative in their marketing strategies, which is encouraging. Green is definitely spawning innovation, which is a good place to start.
Gonzalez: As a business owner, what are your thoughts on the debt ceiling debate and how do you see it affecting your business?
Moorhead: As AOB expands, financial leverage typically follows. The debt ceiling debate can be far reaching, affecting interest rates on borrowing money and the terms at which we borrow. Until we're faced with such challenges, Art of Board is well positioned for healthy expansion, and our sights set on a very bright future.
Gonzalez: What person do you most admire (living or dead) and why?
Moorhead: My dad. He taught me to believe in myself and not to rely on others to achieve success.
Gonzalez: If you could only be remembered for one thing what would it be and why?
Moorhead: That I made a difference. So many people talk about doing, but instead live in fear of change and end up doing nothing instead. I want my kids to know that anything is possible if you believe in it.
Author's Note: My interview with Mr. Moorhead originally appeared in 2012 on Yahoo! Sports. All publishing rights to this article now belong to me.
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