ABOUT KUN_TIQI

The name Kun_tiqi is a reference to the South American continent and the sun god Kun Tiqsi Viracocha. 

Regarded as the founder of the Inca civilisation, legend says that he sailed 8,000 kilometres west of South America in a balsa wood boat seeking new lands in what is now present-day Polynesia.

Eventually, Kun Tiqsi Viracocha reached these lands, becoming the first person to inhabit them. The journey has since become folklore within indigenous South American cultures, with some scholars asserting that Polynesians descended from this maiden voyage and not Asia or Africa as was originally believed.

OUR STORY

Shaping a more eco-friendly world – one wooden surfboard at a time

Like every good story, ours begins in a faraway land. 

Ecuador, to be exact, where our founder Stefan was introduced to wooden surfboards way back in 2005.

Stefan was working in South America at the time. And while on assignment, he decided to purchase a second-hand surfboard to enjoy the pristine waves and warm water. But his plan to buy a board was hindered when the leading producer of polyurethane foam blanks in the world abruptly shut their door due to environmental concerns. So with no boards being produced and no second-hand boards being sold in the area, he was essentially surfboard-less in a surfers’ paradise.

Surfer’s existential nightmare aside, this situation had a silver lining – it made Stefan question what was used to build a surfboard. The answer was toxic, destructive, non-sustainable materials.

Stefan’s eyes were immediately opened by this realisation. And not long after, he fortuitously ran into shapers who had been building wooden surfboards since the 60s. This moment was the catalyst that changed everything. And Stefan discovered that boards could be built from naturally grown wood using sustainable shaping methods. Even harmful polyester resin could be substituted for a plant oil-based epoxy resin!

From that moment on, Kun_tiqi became more than just an idea. And with the use of balsa wood, innovative shaping techniques learned from local craftsmen plus no small amount of ingenuity, the first models were born.

Now, nearly two decades later, Kun_tiqi has transformed into an industry-leading brand. With a belief that we are part of nature and therefore responsible for it, Stefan and our crew have continued to explore newer, greener methods for shaping boards. 

And while we’ve since transitioned from balsa to locally-sourced European paulownia, the soul of Kun_tiqi has stayed the same. 

Nothing is mass-produced. Minimal waste is a way of life. Every model is imbued with our love for the earth and finished with the utmost attention to every detail, resulting in boards that represent more than just the first of their kind – they represent the first of a new era.

OUR PHILOSOPHY

The environment gives us everything we need as surfers.

Whether it’s the sunshine, the waves or the very boards we create, surfing connects us to the world around us like no other pursuit. For this reason, it’s vital that we show our gratitude for all that it gives us.

From using sustainably sourced local wood and quality composite materials to shaping with a minimal-waste mindset, we create high-performance wooden surfboards with a hollow fibreglass-free design that ensures they last for generations, not just years.

Of course, we admit that becoming a 100% sustainable brand is difficult. Where we strive to be different is by constantly looking for a more eco-friendly way to do things and always testing new products.

If that means standing out from the crowd, so be it. 

Our sole concern is to bridge the gap between surfers and Mother Nature and to make fibreglass-free wooden surfboards that get you stoked to surf for years to come.

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