the shorkk story

I’m Ian, the founder of shorkk.

Over 20 years ago I developed a passion for trail running. From then, to the present day, I spend my quality time exploring the Lakeland fells and the West Pennine moors of Northern England.

My love for the outdoors never faltered, no matter the weather. However, one thing I noticed was how much my hands suffered in the biting air of the winter hills.

During a cold run around the Fairfield Horseshoe in January 2022, I noticed the only thing keeping my hands warmer than usual was the unusually long length of my jacket’s sleeves, which allowed me to ball my hands up within the material.

This made me think “There must be a better solution than stretching out all my jackets!”

“Perhaps gloves?” I thought. But, it needs to be miles warmer and more practical than the average glove which often leave your hands feeling stiff and cold.

It’s October 2023 and my go-to jacket is falling apart, so I decide to get to work!

Instead of sewing my jacket back together or throwing it away, I thought about my vision, the idea that had been stewing in my head for the last few months as I continued my daily runs.

It was incredibly crude, badly sewn together, and made from bits of waterproof jacket with no lining or insulation, but it worked!

Over time, the final drawings and technical details of my dream product began to materialise, leading to a fully developed idea of the ‘shorkk’. However, the manufacturers understandably found it difficult to transfer my vision into a physical product.

The shorkk’s unique shape and other curious visuals have been constructed strategically and precisely, ensuring extra warmth and practicality. However, this untraditional glove-like product left confusion in the factory.

It’s uniqueness is purposeful, but the confusion of what a shorkk is gave me an idea - our catch phrase: ‘not a glove, not a mitten… it’s a shorkk’, perfectly encapsulating what this product is, its own.

With time, hard work, and buckets of passion, shorkk finally came to completion. But, next came the daunting part, showing the world my creation.

I wanted to test the shorkk straight away, so I divvied pairs out to friends and family who share my passion for the great outdoors. The shorkk has now been on high-altitude trail runs all over the world, hikes in conditions of -15C, up and down snowy mountains with skis and snow boards, and on wintery dog walks.

shorkk’s feedback has been overwhelmingly positive with everybody praising their ability to keep hands warm, even in the coldest conditions.

So the story continues, and we hope you can join us on the journey.