LoveTheRun: a collaboration inspired by culture and community

LovetheRun is a hashtag that any runner can relate to, a simple expression of the passion for running that’s at the heart of Canadian running communities. The hashtag is also the first thing you see when you enter the Vancouver Running Company’s Kitsilano store. VanRunCo and the sustainable Spanish running brand, Buff, have come together to celebrate running culture from Vancouver to Barcelona and beyond.

In 2015, two Vancouver-based runners, Rob Smith and his wife Becky, founded VanRunCo because they wanted to do something new and different in the running retail scene. Smith felt that, unlike skateboarding, cycling and surfing, the running world had not moved with the times.

He found that running apparel had not caught up with the personal esthetic Smith desired. In fact, on many occasions, Smith ordered running apparel from Europe, as he found the running gear in North America to be functional but not stylish. He felt Vancouver was the perfect location to start a new and fresh running retail experience.

“I love the relationships I have found through running,” Smith says. “That camaraderie combined with the positive mental effect running has on me is most definitely the fuel that drives me to run.” 

From the beginning, VanRunCo has done things differently, from building its brand out of friendships, to the clean and minimal interior of its shop, which was developed to create a welcoming space that reflects the landscape of the Vancouver area.

For Smith and his wife, running is their way to evolve as a group and a business; they participate in many collaborations and events to ensure that the VanRunCo community and brand remain strong. However, they are focused more and more on brands like Buff, that put their sustainable principles into practice and truly understand what it means to create positive change.

“The collaboration between Buff and VanRunCo was a no-brainer,” says Smith. “We both inspire to create a culture and community of diversity, sustainability, and making the world a better place.”

This limited-edition collection between Buff and VanRunCo is the first of three featuring Original EcoStretch Neckwear, CoolNet UV Wide Headband and the Pack Speed Cap. There will be two more collections following: fall/winter 2022 and a spring/summer 2023 collection.

Each article of clothing printed on it: Connected Through Run from Vancouver to Barcelona. We Tread the Same Ground with Care.

“The inspiration behind the text is simple,” says Smith. “No matter who you are or where you live, we are all connected through our passion for running.”

The design of their first collection is inspired by the esthetics of both Buff and the VanRunCo brand. “From morning runs to lunchtime meetings, to post-work yoga, this collection can keep pace—stylish and functional,” says Smith. “All three products are designed to aid with performance during your runs while also lending style and function as you go about your day.”

The Buff x VanRunCo collection is sold through vanrunco.com and in-store at Vancouver Running Co.