Black Friday - Opt Outside with dryrobe®

"It's not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, it's what we do consistently." - Tony Robbins

For the sixth year in a row, here at dryrobe® we’re closing our office on Black Friday (26th November) and giving all our staff a paid day off to get active outdoors. The decision to #OptOutside makes as much sense for us now, as it did when we became the first company in the UK to do this back in 2015.

As in previous years, our website will still be operational as normal but we don't want to be a part of the Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales, which simply don't suit our business or the way we work. We value our relationship with our customers and like to keep things simple.

Here at dryrobe®, we have always been about making the world's best change robes and selling them at the best prices we can with the best quality and service, all year round. We believe in the value of our product as a quality investment piece of kit, it’s as simple as that.

dryrobe® isn't the only business taking this stance. The #OptOutside movement was started by REI in the US, who closed all of their 150+ stores and paid all 12,000 employees to take the day off to spend it outside, as well as encouraging their customers to do the same. Since then businesses and organisations across the world have followed suit, joining a growing movement towards making Black Friday less about consumerism and more about the appreciation of the great outdoors.

How you can get involved and #OptOutside this Black Friday

1. Just get out there!

   Ok, this one sounds obvious, but getting outside doesn’t have to involve going on a life-changing trip. By stepping outside your door, walking around the block or visiting your nearest park, you get the benefits of being outdoors, including improving both your physical and mental health.

2. Get one last trip in before the end of the year

   Christmas is getting closer and the year is coming to a close, now is the time to get that last adventure in before the new year. It could be surfing at that break you’ve had your eye on or going for a wild swim in that secret spot your friend told you about - Black Friday is the day to do it!

3. Go on a microadventure

   Adventures don’t have to be globe-trotting odysseys, there are so many different ways to have small (but just as fun) adventures over a day. Microadventures are cheap, easy, short and fun. You don’t have to travel far or prepare much, just get outside and give yourself a little challenge. Check out Dave Cornthwaites tips for microadventuring.

4. Help look after the environment

   The outdoors is our playground and we all have a responsibility to care for the environment that we all love and depend on. Why not do a beach clean or help to litter pick in your area on Black Friday? No matter how big or small, it really does make a difference to the environment. dryrobe® Ambassador and environmental campaigner Cal Major talks about how important beach cleaning really is.

5. Support organisations that help everyone get outdoors

   We believe that the fun of being in the great outdoors and the health benefits that go with it should be accessible to everyone. There are many incredible organisations out there that help people get outside, why not help support one of them on Black Friday? This could be volunteering with them, or just sharing some of the great work they do over social media. Through the dryrobe® Warmth Project, we’re proud to work with some incredible organisations including The Wave Project, Surfers Not Street Children and A Walk On Water who help improve the mental health of children and young adults through the power of surfing. Find organisations that support getting outdoors.

Share with us what you’re doing on Black Friday on social media by tagging us in using @dryrobe and #OptOutside.

#dryrobeterritory