Makers Series - Mike Lynch and Imperfects Surfboards

Imperfects Surfboards

Our latest Makers Series spotlights the inspiring work of Imperfects, a manufacturer of mindfully curated goods. The ethos of Imperfects resonates through all their goods as well as every smooth line of their custom surfboards that we are more than a little jealous of.

We took a moment to talk with Mike Lynch to discuss the concepts behind Imperfects, how those concepts are reflected in their custom surfboards, and his general thoughts on the human experience. Not only is Mike an insightful and talented craftsmen, he's a valued member of the Iron and Resin team. Enjoy our conversation below and read more about Imperfects here.

What is Imperfects? How was it created?

Imperfects is a reason to keep going. It’s a realization that your faults and your failures are asking you to learn and get better; to pick yourself up and try again but not make the same mistake the second time around. It’s an eagerness to keep learning and to keep failing so that someday you can pass your wisdom along. It’s an encouragement to develop your own human experience.

Imperfects was birthed by my best pal Jack and I. It was an idea that represented difference and that was it. Nothing profound besides the fact that your best talent in life is that you are different. It was a way for Jack and I to realize our greatest strengths during our weakest moments - to tell yourself ‘I am Perfect,’ is the only way to accept your imperfections. That hit us hard and we studied it. Perfect design became inadequate and intentionally imperfect design, to society’s eye, based upon our energy or feelings became the only acceptable way forward. Imperfection made us strong, it made us creative and most importantly, it made us humble. Jack chose to make music and art; I chose to shape.

“I shape surfboards because I believe it’s a craft that represents harmony; its a delicate balance of art and utility and you can only find it through practice. I dig that.”

What is the reason for the craft?

Brokenness; the reason for the craft is brokenness. Realizing you are broken is the only way to begin putting yourself back together anew. (accepting your brokenness to find your strength) The process of shaping a surfboard is an imperfect one because at some point, you must touch the foam with your human hands and inherently, no matter how much you practice, this will make it skewed; that’s the beauty in the craft. That no matter how hard we try to perfect our motions and skills, each one is bound to be different based upon your mood, your eyes, your imperfect human hands.

What is The Human Experience?

It is the one thing you end up with that you have been working toward the whole way. My human experience is to learn and fail so that I can inspire others to go out and live.

What do you want the final message to be?

I want people to walk away from Imperfects better prepared to find and live out their own Human Experience. Ready to practice, ready to fail.