The Howies 'Do' Lectures are currently being held in Cardigan Bay, Wales. I didn't get my act together in time to apply this year (gutted), but my good friend Wilf is there and I've instructed him on pain of death to make notes, take photos and to report back on all the good stuff. I'm also following an attendee via Twitter.

Howies are a very interesting company. On a very base level, they're a clothing company with an emphasis on the outdoors; skate wear, cycle wear, surf wear, beach wear etc etc. But they've always had a knack of communicating their company philosophy in a very easy way, something which I don't think is neccessarily an easy thing to do.

For example, they're big on the environment. Now lots of companies say that they're big on the environment but not many actually put their money where there mouths are. Howies have an Earth Tax which means they pledge to give 1% of their turnover or 10% of pre-tax profits (whichever is greater) to grass-roots environmental and social projects. It's this Earth Tax that has paid for the 'Do' Lectures as all 75 places are offered up for free.

Their catalogues not only show off their clothes but they have short essays, poems, illustrations and other musings which all reinforce the company philosophy. Speaking personally, I'd say that I'm more interested in this side of their business than I am in their clothes. A great example of a small business doing things a little differently. Shame there aren't a few more like them out there.