Born out of Bozeman, Montana, Curious Creatures is a mountain bike apparel brand founded on the principles of adventure, exploration and self-expression. Founder and designer Natasha Woodworth created the brand to focus on technical apparel while celebrating the joy of being a creature playing outside.

“I am really inspired by the sport and community surrounding mountain biking,” shares Woodworth. “I also think the people drawn to mountain biking really embrace a quirky and fun side of the sport that helped inspire the spirit of the brand.”

Her color inspirations come from the landscape itself, from “the beauty we are lucky enough to see on a daily basis,” Woodworth adds. “When you are out on your bike and out in nature playing it’s like this inner creature that lives in us comes out and we return back to being a part of the landscape and environment around us.”

Can you tell us more about the principles of adventure, exploration and self-expression that Curious Creatures is founded on?

My hope is this tie back to the natural world helps improve people’s connection to the Earth and they think of themselves as also creatures in nature and not so different than the deer, or owl or hawk they might see on their ride. We all came from the same single-cell organisms so long ago and are still connected. How cool is that? The brand hopes to celebrate this and remind us all we are Curious Creatures on this Earth.

I also had been hearing from so many friends that putting on bike outfits they didn’t feel like themselves so I wanted to design clothes that functioned on that same high level but maybe didn’t feel so different than the wardrobe a person would choose on any given day. Clothes have always been a big part of identity and self-expression and for too long outdoors has prescribed a uniform that someone has to wear in order to “fit in” or “look the part” of a mountain biker or climber etc. I hope this also encourages more people who might feel like they don’t belong in those spaces to have one less barrier to entry and feel more like themselves. Everyone belongs on a bike!

Please describe some of the technical features in your products that cater specifically to mountain bikers.

The fabrics we chose are often soft and stretchy but highly durable as we know tumbles and scrapes are part of the game. We also work very hard on the pattern and fit to make sure it’s articulated for pedaling or the downhill. Fit is HUGE, especially in women’s products and I am so proud and happy when people try our stuff on and tell me, “I have had such a hard time finding stuff that fits and this is perfect!” A big problem I wanted to solve for was the comfort around the waist as often on a bike you are in a bent over position so we ditched the bulky zipper and fly and have a comfy streamlined waistband on a lot of our bottoms for both men and women. The pants have a cuff opening at the bottom for easy on and off of kneepads and all the pockets are designed to have easy phone access on the bike because we know how important those wildflower pics are.

How does the brand incorporate fun and creativity into the design of its apparel?

Our design language is built around this truth that there is no such thing as a straight line in nature so we incorporate curves and circles as much as we can. This often means we can add fun pops of color and color blocking. I love hiding little humorous details in the product, for example, the drawcord reads, “hello strange creature,” and inside the pocket bag is a little poem about riding; things like that bring a smile to my face when designing and hope they do when you pull your shorts on each time you go out!

How do you see the brand evolving over the next five years?

Oh gosh there are so many things I want to do! I hope we can get to a size where we can really start to give back to our local Montana and Rocky Mountain trails in a meaningful way. I think about how cool it would be if we had resources to direct some of our proceeds to trail building or maintaining and improving current trails. I also hope we can build on our versatility and craft products for everything you need from sunrise to sunset. I am excited about designing products for adventure riding and bikepacking for people’s bucket list trips, whether that be ten days riding in the Mongolian Steppe or an overnight in your own backyard.

wearecuriouscreatures.com

Originally published in the Fall 2024 issue of Spoke+Blossom.

Curious Creatures — Q&A With Founder + Designer Natasha Woodworth