Ambassadors
Kalletka’s community of friends and ambassadors plays a vital role in bringing the brand’s spirit to life. These passionate individuals—surfers, divers, fishermen, and outdoor enthusiasts—embody the brand’s core values of adventure, creativity, and respect for the ocean. With their support and authentic stories, they help spread Kalletka’s mission and connect with like-minded people who share a deep love for the sea and its conservation. Each ambassador is a true reflection of the brand’s heart, fostering a sense of belonging within the Kalletka family.
Our Products
At Kalletka, craftsmanship takes precedence over profit. Using only high-quality materials and well-thought-out designs, each product is crafted to ensure comfort and durability. Unlike many growing brands, Kalletka made the intentional choice to create apparel that people don’t want to take off. Kalletka shirts are designed to be soft, comfortable, and perfectly fitted, avoiding the scratchy, awkward, shrinking, and uncomfortable styles commonly found elsewhere. The result is clothing that feels like your favorite shirt, making you reach for it every time it’s clean.
Founder - Mike Golder
A lifelong surfer, diver, and fisherman, Mike Golder is dedicated to pursuing his outdoor passions while creating unique apparel and products that capture the beauty of the oceans that surround us.
The Making of Kalletka
Founded in 2017, Kalletka started in a modest garage in Santa Cruz, California. Kalletka Founder Mike Golder grew up surfing, diving, and fishing in his hometown of Santa Cruz and California's offshore islands. With a background in graphic design and a full-time job as a firefighter to pay the bills, Mike dove into the task of building the brand from the ground up.
It all started with a single batch of stickers purchased with money borrowed from a close friend. Focused on his love for the ocean and a vision for a brand that would stay true to its roots, 20 years of sketches and concepts eventually converged, and the brand launched into a succession of graphic-based artworks created by both Mike and a close group of talented artists. These artists contributed their skills to create an impressive and diverse line of clothing and graphics. Kalletka quickly gained a faithful following of customers.
Using only high-quality materials and well-thought-out art, Mike made the rare decision, among growing brands, to prioritize craftsmanship over profit. "I want someone to put on one of our shirts and not want to take it off. None of those scratchy, awkward, shrinking, short, and wide boxed-out types of shirts. If you're not looking for that same favorite shirt in your clean laundry each time, you're doing something wrong," Mike says.
Kalletka quickly grew into a community-driven brand that embodies adventure and creativity, fostering a deep connection to the ocean while promoting sustainable practices. This emerging brand thrives within a community of divers, surfers, fishermen, and water enthusiasts.
The Meaning of Kalletka
(Pronounced: 'Kuh• lett• kuh').
Kalletka is a word meaning "into the sea" from the Costanoan/Mutsun language. These were the original stewards of the coastlines and mountain ranges in areas spanning from Big Sur to San Francisco Bay known for living in harmony with the sea.
Kalletka aims to honor a life centered around the ocean and its gifts, fostering a community of family and friends who respect, cherish, and protect our seas and traditions.
