It's amazing how things in life can come back full-circle.

It was not very long ago when I was probing my mind trying to find out what drives me and it wasn't like I had a lack of motivation - it was just the opposite.

Never would I have imagined that I would actually find something that deeply fulfills me and even brings me a sense of inspiration to help others.

I have finally realized that when I follow my passions, they end up becoming a byproduct of inspiration for others.

In dark times I was forced to find my true self - not forced with questioning others around me - but instead questioning myself and my actions.

Sometimes the greatest ideas come during the hardest of times.

It was not even one year ago when I was working at Wholefoods when just such an idea came to me.

I had previously worked for a company before Wholefoods for about 5 years and when I left that job I did not know what I was going to do, so I applied for part-time work at Wholefoods as they were just opening a brand new store in Longmont, Colorado.

Barely a month later after we opened the store, I came up with the idea for Mellivora.

There were many reasons why I had to find myself and my passion, as I have people who rely on me to push myself to be the best I can be.

When I came up with the idea I did not let go, I literally worked night and day on this company, yet I knew I wasn't going to be able to do it alone.

But then, I ended up re-connecting with two close friends in my life.

These two people are playing a pivotal role in Mellivora, and one was sadly laid off after 10 years with his company.

He is incredibly smart and calculated and is someone I grew up with and have known pretty much my entire life.

When we graduated high school I moved to Colorado and he moved to Lincoln Nebraska and then now here we are 17 years later working together with a common goal.

The other I have known for 11 years and is quite dear to me, is an exceptional human being, and her ability to learn and thrive is incredible.

I met her through another person who is also very dear to me, but that story is for another time.

Never would I have imagined that after all the years that had passed that we would all be working together.

This all just goes to show that there are things that can happen in life we cannot explain...

Oddly, it was not so long ago I was telling the ladies I worked with why they needed to try Mellivora leggings, and they would just laugh at me telling me I was "crazy".

Fast forward a year, and now the Whole Foods in Longmont carries Mellivora Leggings! Not so crazy after all!

Remember, when you follow your passions, some might think you're crazy, but don't listen to them - listen only to what your mind and heart are telling you!

Life can bring you all kinds of beautiful things - you just have to be open enough to find them!

Thank you - to all of you who support this company - we are blessed because of you.

Chris G

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There has been so much in the news about company leadership and lack of moral character, that it only makes sense to address the situation.

I do not know all the details of what has been happening, however, what I can say is lack of character and morals in corporations has been going on for a long time.

The worst part is we as consumers give these companies our hard-earned money.

We assume they do the right thing, yet many of us who have worked or are working for these corporations, clearly know they don't.

Lululemon is, as you know, a legging company that has had many issues - both past and present - with leadership, and the question remains, why does this continue?

One of the most irritating issues is that these so-called leaders get huge golden parachutes and it's the consumers' hard-earned cash that pays them, so basically leadership is "rewarded" for lack of leadership.

Why do we seem to be okay with being constantly lied to about what we are consuming?

Whether it's with the food industry, clothing industry, or even the banking industry, we are being misled.

Let's face it - the corporate "leaders" spend a lot of time and money creating the image of their company, yet much of it is just smoke and mirrors riddled with corruption and lies, with the "feel-good" campaigns they run to cover up their deceit.

It's interesting that we get upset when we see and hear of these things happening, yet we seem to ignore it.

So what is the solution you ask?

It's simple - become a conscious buyer and do your best to purchase from ethical businesses.

It may seem somewhat daunting, however, I assure you that if you start thinking about the companies you are supporting and spend a few moments of your time researching what they claim, you'll find the truth in there somewhere!



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We go through life being told what to do, what not to do, or what we should do to in order to accomplish something and to find "happiness" in life.

We often listen to these things because we get the positive feedback we long for from the ones we love, so we do it over and over again, just for that feedback.

This is not ultimately a bad thing because sometimes it leads people to the exact place they are meant to be. However, for some of us, we grew up questioning why the ones that love us want and expect us to go to college even if they did not go themselves.

We questioned why we grew up being told to get a good job with a good corporation so we could move up in the world and have a successful career, even though we saw our loved ones stuck at work for hours on end and most of the time they weren't happy with the day-to-day 9-to-5 grind.

We questioned these things but why?

“We can always connect the dots going backwards, but we can never connect the dots forward.” -S. Jobs

Mellivora was built upon a mountain of challenges that started with the question "Why?".

Why are we told these are the things we “should” do and never asked why we should or have to do them?

In the beginning of Mellivora’s creation, we questioned many things and finally realized the one missing piece that many of America is missing.

This one piece leads to many other pieces, however, what we have come to understand is that finding our purpose in life and passionately expressing it every day to better others' lives is ultimately what we “should” do.

Now I know this all seems "easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy", but the truth of the matter is that it's not as easy as you may think.

Our society is not "built" to help you find your purpose nor does it let you passionately express it with ease.

Our society is "built" to put each individual in a square hole which distracts them from ever expressing any creativity or passion.

Mellivora is built to inspire others.

It's not just about our leggings, but it's about continuously reminding our community to follow our true purpose and passionately live each day to fulfill that purpose.

It won't be all "sunshine and roses", but in the end, you will look back and be thankful and proud that you chose your own path versus the one that others expected you to take.

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Where do I start?

I have to say there are some things that I see every day that just drive me nuts! There are so many ads on Google, Facebook, and Instagram, and so much of it is fake.

Everything from clothing that claims they produce locally, to people claiming to be millionaires with their get rich quick schemes, to food claiming to be "healthy".

Let's be honest - it's all just lies!

I see ads on TV knowing that those companies are spending millions of dollars on themselves, yet their employees struggle to receive just a 1.5% raise.

Let's cut the crap already!

It's time to quit buying products from companies that only feed on our emotions with feel-good thoughts, yet what they're doing behind the scenes is just criminal!

What will it take for Americans to quit feeding the beast - yes, the beast - those overbearing corporations that pollute and destroy the earth just for their profits?

I don't mean to sound so upset, but I am! I'm tired of people claiming they are all about the environment, fair wages, and sustainability, yet they are wearing these clothing brands and we all know who they are.

Supporting retail chains that buy imported goods incredibly cheap for profit, is taking advantage of cheap labor and bad work conditions.

These are people too and they deserve to be treated right.

I would imagine if these brands showed their production houses in their ads people would change their minds about supporting them.

It's not that they can't produce goods ethically, it's that they are addicted to greed and profits.

Mellivora proves everyday that it is possible to make quality products that are made entirely in the US and at the same time bring it with a fair price with an ethical supply chain from start to finish.

Do you really think your shoes are that special when they were produced for $10 which you paid $100 for and everybody is wearing them?

Guess what? They're a dime a dozen, and made cheaply.

When will we realize that things made cheap, such as food and clothing are just that - CHEAP!

People think they are getting a deal when clothing is on sale, but are they really getting one? More than likely not.

So what's the point of covering your body in cheap materials that won't last?

Well, I have a great idea for you!

Spend 2018 buying less and not supporting unethical corporations.

Instead, go for quality, not quantity and support those companies that give real wages to every person involved in their manufacturing.

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Many people truly believe that it isn't possible to change their lives for the better, mostly due to the ones around them that seem to dictate how they live.

We allow them to tell us how they believe we should be living our lives and passing their judgements upon us, even though we may disagree with them, we still find it hard to "let them down".

Two years ago, I had a person once tell me she did not want to go backward in her life, and I responded by telling her that sometimes in life you have to take steps back to reroute your life.

Little did I know what that really meant...

I had built a life most would say was successful.

However, deep down I was alone with all my material goods and feeling little happiness.

Fast forward a year from when I said that, my life was forever changed for what I thought was the worst.

I was losing everything around me, and I could not understand why. I then realized through all this that I had to drop all the extra baggage in order to get up the mountain.

I had to let go of my materials and focus my time and energy on myself. This was very hard, as I was not in my comfort zone anymore. It was at this point that I realized that what I had said a year earlier made more sense.

I was taking steps back to move forward yet I had no clue what moving forward was at the time.

In November of 2016, the idea of Mellivora was born after so much of my time was spent in the wilderness. Mellivora has just turned a year old and I feel like we have already accomplished 3 years of moving forward.

I never made a commitment for the new year, however, what I did do is make a commitment to myself and others to do the best job I possibly could.

I quit social hours at breweries, I quit saying I was going to get healthy and instead did get healthy. I committed to being faithful in every aspect of my life, in other words doing right by all of whom were around me and even people I did not know.

Today is Christmas Day 2017, and looking back it has been one hell of a year for me.

I have reached goals that I could have never imagined two years ago, even with all the lows that were inconceivable for me.

I don't want people to read this and make just a New Year's resolution. I want people to read this and realize that everything we do can be long-term and that those steps that seem "backward" might be for a better future for all.

Living for the short-term goal is a fool's game, every action you take from choosing food to clothing to the people we let in our lives and the companies we support and work for must be with the intent of longevity.

If you're looking for a short-term feel-good goal, it will get you nowhere.

I challenge anyone who truly reads this to try to make 2018 the year of self-challenge and change and long term!

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We have all heard the story of David and Goliath.

This is a story that many very small clothing companies may know all too well.

Mellivora is one of those tiny companies trying to change the way people look at purchasing clothing.

The clothing industry is much like the food industry - specific words are used in many ways to to make the consumer feel good about what they consume.

However, almost all of this is a mask for profits.

Much of the apparel that says "Made in the USA" is made in California, where there are many sweatshops. The workers are paid way below minimum wage in almost every case.

Many "big brands" are sending all their productions overseas to make huge profits, paying the workers virtually nothing with no benefits or worker's compensation, which is just an exploitation for profit gain.

So just because it says "Made in the USA", it does not mean the person who made it was paid a fair wage.

Mellivora uses ONLY USA milled fabric, makes every pair in Denver, and they are sewn by only one seamstress!

Let's get back to the battle of David and Goliath...

Mellivora wants to educate people on clothing production by showing that great local products can be made at a fair price, with complete transparency.

We don't make huge profits, but we also aren't just doing this for the money either.

We are doing this to inspire people to change their lives and to break away from their daily routines.

We want our customer and others to understand the importance of transparency in clothing manufacturing.

In time, we will expand our clothing line, but it will always be sustainable and will always be made in Colorado.

Every day we will fight the mainstream "big brands", and even though we may not be winning yet, at some point we will!!

Please take the time to look at the stories behind each pair of leggings at the adventure tab.

We also want to thank all of you for your support in our quest to change the mindset of many.

Thank you!!

 

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Time as we measure it and know it doesn’t really exist, but even so, it isn't infinite. Our time on this earth is limited for us even though it may not exist on a larger scale.

I know you are probably asking yourself what is he talking about? Well, what I'm trying to convey is how important it is to use every day and every hour to better ourselves. In this life, it's so easy to get caught up in a routine.

You know, we get up, go to work, go home and do it all over again. Then the weekends are packed full of shopping for most and I bet if you wrote down what you did in a week it would be less than a page! Why is this?

We have created an environment of routines, and frankly, it's not really that productive for us. I was stuck in that same routine for years and realized I had invested a bunch of my limited time in something that does not better me.

I hike and bike a lot and when I go on the weekends, I notice that the trails are not that full, however, if I drive by an REI or other types of stores they are packed. And the question remains - what do people do with all that pricey gear that sits around collecting dust that had drained their bank account?

Due to the fact that people are so routine, they don't realize that they are missing out on finding the true reason as to why they are here. They are not grasping that their time is limited and the choice to not make the most of it will catch up to them.

Time may not be real, however, the limitations of it are very real. It is imperative that we make the most of our time, in other words, turn off the TV and the phone and find something that is truly beneficial to you and others.

Instead, how about donating your time to others, or how about finding something constructive and creative to do? We all have it in us - all it takes is just a little bit of effort! I would be willing to bet that if you did any of these things, you would find it much more rewarding than just going to REI or the mall, etc.

We all realize that changing our lives is difficult, however, if you make a point to try to do something new each day it will become a more productive routine and it will better serve you and others around you in the process.

So start today to change your life for the better and at the same time, you just might help inspire others to follow your lead!



Chris

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Have you been thinking about wanting to do something different with your life?

Like maybe starting a business, deciding to finally lead a healthy lifestyle, or even trying to end a feud with someone who is/was close to you?

The possibilities are so vast and unpredictable... however, what if I told you this is all so very possible? In life, we are taught as children to think and act in specific ways regardless of how ridiculous they may seem.

For years I came up with so many reasons as to why I couldn't fully achieve what I subconsciously knew I could - and when I say that I don't mean material gain.

No one wants to feel pain, we don't want to suffer, we want to feel good all the time. But what if I told you that you will suffer and you will hurt until you finally "find" your "true" self? And what if I told you I have tears in my eyes writing this post??

"Gates" are created to keep things out, but what If I told you that we really don't need these types of "gates" in this world - and more importantly, in our minds? What if I told you that you - and only you - can be the best version of yourself if you break down those "gates" that you have created within your mind?

What if I told you to stop wasting your time with social media, social drinking, and social smoking? What if I told you the path to yourself maybe lonely? And lastly, what if I told you, you would be scared as hell? But then, what if I told you that YOU CAN do it??

I mean this from the bottom of my heart - me being a person who has failed before, me being a person who was scared, me being a person who is just like you!

Chris

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In life, we are faced with so many challenges, one of which is a very important question we all must ask ourselves: What is my purpose?

I have pondered this for years, so I basically disconnected myself from it. However, I still searched for it by trying many different things in my life. Some of them worked a little but many did not, leaving me feeling empty and unfulfilled. I always thought a good job, money and material goods would make me happy, but I realized, after losing my job, that I had invested a lot of time and heart into working for a company that frankly did not give a sh*t about me.

After leaving this job, I decided to truly search for more meaning in life. I realized the "barriers" I had been facing were just an illusion and in fact, there are no actual "barriers" in our world. This is something that many of us have unconsciously grown-up thinking, but in all reality, when we realize we can conquer our mindset we can achieve anything we want.

However, we have to be willing to sacrifice what feels "safe" to us. The idea of safety and conformity is just an idea - it does not really exist. It is important to remember that the mind can hold you back and can make you experience unnecessary emotions.

One of the hardest things to do in life is figuring out how to conquer your mind at its own game. Everybody has an "excuse" as to why they can't find their purpose, but these "excuses" may come with unforeseen sacrifices, which blind them to be able to find their true "path" in life.

The choices we choose make to change our lives and to find more purpose may not be seen today, but if you plant the seeds of change now, those seeds will grow to help change your life for the better in the future.

So if you have not found your purpose yet, don't ever give up, just keep on searching!

Chris

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