Our Story

Tarkine was founded by Australian runners Sam Burke and Ross Johnson in conjunction with a team of experienced industry veterans.

The team was disgruntled with the state of the shoe industry. Full of fads and disinformation, highly wasteful to the environment, and dominated by multi-billion-dollar stock listed companies. We decided it was time to show that a start-up out of Australia was capable of changing the game, of setting new trends, of creating shoes that rival and exceed those of its huge competitors. 

We hope that our focus on eco-friendly materials, and a comprehensive recycling program, will force the industry to step-up and cease its wasteful practices, and to become more responsible of their carbon footprints.

We are confident that we have created truly high-end running shoes and apparel and done so in an eco-friendly away. We encourage you to give us a try, our products are suitable for:

• Serious/elite runners
• Everyday joggers or walkers
• Lifestyle wear
• Those who wish to support a small Australian company instead of multinational stock listed corporations.
• Those who care about the environment and only wish to wear eco-friendly products.

(Photo - Co-Founder, Sam Burke in takayna/Tarkine, Tasmania)

Importantly, we hope the success of this business will help to save Australia’s largest temperate rainforest. It is a special place, a wild place, full of old growth Gondwanan rainforest. We owe at least that much to the next generation…