LovenSkate is a true icon of the British skateboarding scene. Based in East London they are a small skateboard company that represents everything we love about skateboarding. The camaraderie, the creativity, the dedication, the humour and the adventure.
Stuart ‘LovenSkate Stu’ Smith, founded the LovenSkate in 2001 with the tagline ‘drink tea get rad’. And, despite having recently celebrated the LovenSkate 20th anniversary, this LovenSkate master is still drinking tea, getting rad and hand screen printing the boards himself with a team of other creatives.
Hand silk screen printing is a dying art, especially when it comes to decks. The graphics for every skateboard deck are hand-cut, and the colours are then painstakingly hand-printed one at a time to create true masterpieces. All for you to add your choice of skateboard trucks, skateboard bearings, grip and wheels and destroy it in the name of skateboarding.
They create a range of hand screen printed skate clothing, decks, zines and accessories including bucket hats, caps and socks. Not to mention the tea and collectables, including the ‘loose leaves save lives’ and ‘LovenSkate preferred cuppa’ tea, the proud parent or proud partner mug, and the ‘don’t be so wet’ towel.
You can find out more about the LovenSkate Team here.
Lovenskate Collections and Collaborations
One of the things we love most about this brand is that everything is handcrafted in small batches, meaning whatever you buy you are getting a piece of skate history.
Recent collections and collaborations include the Lovenskate 20th Anniversary, LovenSkate tea party, LovenSkate Master of Camouflage, and LovenSkate x Blast collab.
And of course their latest collaboration with Vans. The Vans x Lovenskate "Custom Made By You" collection.
Vans x Lovenskate "Custom Made By You"
This collaboration was born from a long term friendship and a joint love of customising clothes and shoes. The collection embodies the core ethos of creative expression that both brands are passionate about championing on and off the board.
Each item is fully customisable and even comes with a set of coloured sharpies to get you started.
20th Anniversary
The ‘20 years’ range included the Lovenskate 20th anniversary zine, zine tees, caps and a LovenSkate loose leaves tea as well as the LovenSkate 20th anniversary deck range. Ensuring, as always, you can have a decent cuppa and dress well in between tricks.
Each LovenSkate 20th-anniversary skateboard deck featured a mash-up of their most popular prints and graphics from the last 20 years including hand plant, drink chai get rad, strike now, and real girls skate curbs.
This was also the first range of their skateboards to be 100% made in the UK. Being pressed in Bedford and printed in London.
LovenSkate Tea Party
The Alex Hallford and Jordan Thackery ‘tea party’ collaboration was another sell-out collection of decks, t-shirts and collectables. Featuring not only decks and t-shirts but even a cup and saucer set you could have given to your granny.
Lucy Adams - Master of Camo
A range of clothing and accessories to go with the new Lucy Adams pro board designed by Lizzie Heath. Lucy, the Lovenskate Master of Camo has been skating for 20 years and made a name for herself not only as a skater but through her work for the sport.
Ethics and Ethos
If the fact that this is a UK skater owned brand, owned by a man who just wants to give as much back to skateboarding as it has given him isn’t enough. LovenSkate is also about as ethical as you can get.
Their commitment to sustainability, equality and the environment goes right the way through the supply chain. Not only are their products printed in the UK but their t-shirts are made from 100% cotton with 100% sustainable practices. That means people are paid a living wage and have safe working conditions.
If you think LovenSkate are as fucking awesome as we do sign up for our newsletter or follow us on Instagram to make sure you’re the first to know each there’s a new item added. And in the meantime, check out some of our other popular brands including Blast Skates, Girl Skateboard Company, Alien Workshop, Bones Wheels, DC Shoe and Vans.
We also sell a huge range of complete skateboards, a skateboard wheel for every rider, trucks, hardware, skate clothing, skate shoes and accessories.
