core principles

INTRODUCTION

At MANERA, we are a family. It is not some overused marketing cliché, but rather a fact of life. The brand has been owned, operated, and nurtured by the same family since day one.

The fundamental principles that are engraved into our family are the same that we live by each day at MANERA. Our brand is simply a reflection of these values, a reflection of who we are.

With this identity and sense of purpose, we build relationships, innovate, and challenge the limits of our own creativity each day.

Often, we make decisions by following our heart, rather than with business in mind. Our passion drives everything we do. We’ve had enough experience over the years to know that without love, dedication and fervor, the brand wouldn’t be what it is today. 

MANERA is much more than just a company. This is our life and business, and there are no boundaries between them.

SUPPORT LOCAL SHOPS

Whether it’s out on the water or in this business, we don’t forget our friends.
In the early days of MANERA, a small network of shops and salespeople in the community helped us grow to where we are today. They have our loyalty, and vice versa.

To protect and maintain this friendly ecosystem, we have stayed true to the local shop model for our sales approach. Selling direct or going through corporate outlets would eliminate part of what we cherish in this field. The knowledge of true practitioners is invaluable, and that is why each MANERA product is only sold through a specialty shop or website. That way, everybody can get the best expertise and advice from someone who is in the water every day. 

Additionally, shops are the heart and soul of the local surf scene. Everything often starts there: events, competitions, or even a grom’s first sponsor. Tight-knit communities frequently blossom and prosper around them.

The tropical smell of wax, endless rows of gleaming boards, hangers overflowing with new wetsuits are welcome sensations upon entering a shop and chatting with the hipster salesman about the newest gear available. It is all an experience, not solely a transaction. 

By committing ourselves to this community of local, specialized shops, we aim to help our customers enjoy an authentic experience and product, all while sharing the stoke of watersports.

We want kids in 20 years’ time to walk in and experience these shops the way we all did. Our decision to support local shops is much more than a sales strategy; it is a commitment to our culture.

QUALITY IS OUR SPECIALTY

Our team doesn’t cross an invisible line when it walks into the office after an early morning session. The mood doesn’t change; the fun doesn’t disappear. That is because our passion for innovation is just as important as our passion for the water. 

We don’t follow trends nor market studies. Maybe a bit selfishly, we first do everything for ourselves, and we listen to our instincts.

What would we like to have when we are out there? We think about and create quality products for our own use. Of course, we are lucky and grateful to be able to then share them with people as passionate as us.

Our Research & Development process flows in a simple yet effective pattern: design, prototype, test. Design, prototype, test. And so on. The cycle is in constant motion. From inception to R&D, to testing and eventually a lifetime in the water, each of our products comes directly from our team. 

This process allows for critical thought and the search for perfection. No matter how long it takes. We don’t settle for “good enough” despite looming deadlines. Our quest for what we deem to be quality is continuous, one which gives our customers something they can believe in.

With lifetimes of experience in our work and in our sports, the MANERA logo means you are getting something special, something real, something salty. 

MARKETING TO INSPIRE

At MANERA, we aren’t selling direct to consumers. Then, our marketing strategy has a deeper meaning than just growing sales.

We market to inspire. We tell stories in a way that shows who we are and what we do, not to solely move units. Through the years, we have invested into a community of like-minded creators, photographers, cameramen, magazines, and athletes to help us communicate on our favorite water sports. We feed off one another, sharing ideas and promoting each other’s work. Through this communal effort of creating content that inspires, the ecosystem of our sport’s community continues to build and becomes more self-sustaining. 

We aim to make people dream, and to encourage everyone to go out there. In turn, it will make the whole community thrive. We are proud to be committed to this virtuous circle. Design, manufacture, travel, surf, kite, foil, shoot, sponsor, write, publish, share, inspire — then repeat. It is this process that allows us to support your favorite athlete and make sure you can follow our latest adventure.

We aren’t here to force you to buy something. Simply put, we are here to inspire you to stay salty.

KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY

MANERA has been established and nurtured by the same family since day one. We are proud to be independent, and one of the only family-owned and operated brand in the industry today.

Our goal has always been to build MANERA for many generations to come while also enjoying the present. The freedom provided to us by owning 100% of our brand means we can act on our own vision for the decades ahead.

However, family isn’t only blood to us. It’s also the people who have stuck with us since day one. Loyalty is a pillar we lean on every day. Relationships forged more than a decade ago have seen us build a crew of riders who are part of our circle. Through thick and thin, our main manufacturers and distributors have been faithfully onboard since the beginning. Our longtime clients and dealers are all part of our extended family. Ultimately, it’s everyone who has already bought a MANERA product too. We are thankful that this circle exists and more importantly continues to grow year after year. Without these relationships, we wouldn’t be here today.

Our philosophy revolves around what we do best: innovation, content creation and building communities. Tending to these ideals equally ensures that rewards are shared by both the brand and our customers.

No faceless businessmen go home with money from our customers. Rather, it is put back into the things we believe in, into the community and the products.

STAY GREEN

Getting in the water in search of the wind and waves is solitary, pure. To slide across the surface of a wave, or to traverse a bay with the wind and leaving only a wake behind are unmatched feelings.
However, the traditional methods of producing the gear we need can be more impactful on the planet than the way we use it.

At MANERA, our dedication to sustainability and responsible manufacturing is only one part of who we are. It is not the entire story.

Our goal is to make high-performance goods to help you practice your sports better and more confidently, and for you to feel good while doing so. So, we don’t hang our hat on being eco-conscious for marketing’s sake. We just are.