On a relentless mission to reconnect a disconnected world
Our Philosophy
You may be wondering- why don't you just take phones? Does this actually work?
Short answer- absolutely.
Friction Over Restriction
By adding a bit of friction; a.k.a. a phone pouch, we interrupt that cycle just long enough for your brain to look up and ask,
“What else is here?”
So- why not just take them?
Or lock them up?
We've all lost our friends in a crowd at a bar, been waiting on an important email, or left our kids at home with a babysitter. We know that ultimately- phones can help us connect- even on a night out. And we're not here to shame or guilt- just to get you disconnected from mindless scrolling for a bit.
The Brain Science
Every time you check your phone, your brain gets a tiny hit of dopamine, commonly referred to as a dopamine loop;
notification → check → reward
That loop trains you to reach for your screen as a habit, the same way you put on shoes before you leave the house.
Apparel
that Talks
Inspired by the nature of which we existed before the internet, where there was no silence on an elevator or waiting for a bus. Small talk, in its most modern form, often shapes connection through the simple compliment of a hat or shirt, and is often followed by the small talk that used to exist within all fronts of life.
Our Story
Brothers Mich and Max Ward, along with their best friend Christian Williamson— all Toronto natives— started Before the Internet after a digital-detox on a father-son fishing trip, where we made the somewhat rash decision to leave their phones in the car for the weekend.
"No phones, no screens. Just us, some beers, and a couple of fishing rods. It felt like we were kids again — fully present, laughing and connecting with the people around us — what we largely attributed to lack of, what we like to call, “little black rectangle anxiety.”
We came back knowing we weren’t the only ones feeling burnt out from the endless scroll and feeling like there was something missing in our lives. It does really feel like everyone around us is silently craving real connection, which is what we knew we wanted the forefront of Before the Internet to be."
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