Meet Immenso
Meet Kian Zhao, freediver and founder of Immenso Diving. Inspired to create sustainable cold water dive gear for the Pacific Northwest freediving and spearfishing community, Kian launched Immenso in 2022. Read on to learn more about the man behind the fins and how the brand got its start.
So how did this all start?
I grew up in a coastal city and am a born thalassophile (someone who loves the sea). My first encounter with freediving was during a trip to Indonesia and where I saw some locals casually diving down to the bottom of the sea to swim with schools of fish. The scene burned itself into my memory banks. I thought that was the coolest thing one can do in the ocean.
After freediving the local Pacific Northwest waters for many years, I realized that the cold temperatures were preventing many people from getting into the sport. I was inspired to create a brand that served the needs of our local divers and spearfishers. Coming from a production background, I’ve been involved in manufacturing throughout my career. Combining my love of the ocean and my experience in goods production seems like a natural fit.
How would you describe freediving/spearfishing?
Freediving is about exploring the underwater world with one breath at a time. It’s about being one with the ocean. Knowing where my food comes from and how it was harvested connects me to the environment. Patience and selective harvesting from the ocean is part of the ‘slow living’ lifestyle. It’s all about being sustainable and respectful to the ocean.
Describe the ocean in 3 words?
Formless, Immense & Peaceful
How is Immenso making a positive impact?
As with the practice of spearfishing, we are striving to minimize our impact on the environment so that our needs can be met not only in the present, but also for future generations. We encourage customers to return used and worn out products so that they can be recycled and upcycled responsibly. We aim to reuse materials to reduce our footprint. Upcycling challenges the pervasive “throw-away” mentality. We are constantly reexamining our production processes to improve efficiency and reduce our carbon footprint.
What is the Immenso experience?
Combining practical features with stylish design, we create each product with care. Our gear is durable and reliable, and can be counted on for both safety and comfort. Most importantly, we consider the full lifecycle of our products. We strive to keep our impact on the environment minimal while inspiring everyone to get out in the ocean and appreciate its beauty and abundance.
