Behind The Pines

I’m Tori, owner and creator behind Urban Pines Co. and our Pine Boots. I am a mother of 3 amazing kids, Carter, Charli, and Josie and married to my best friend, Jake.

I started this company back in 2018 with a passion for business. I have always started businesses and created new things because it was such a huge part of who I was and I found so much joy in entrepreneurship.

What started as a need for comfortable, form fitting shoes for my oldest daughter, Charli, quickly turned into a full time business as every “drop” we sold out. Cutting leather and making baby shoes quickly became the new norm. To date, we have shipped our original booties all over the world! As Charli got older, and Josie was born, we started designing shoes that would fit our modern, minimalistic style, but could also grow with them. At the time, Charli was in a rain boot phase, and I found myself getting so frustrated at the lack of quality rain boots on the market, and in the colors we desired. In that need, our Pine Boots were designed.

I started designing our Pine Boots back in September of 2019 and outsourcing a manufacturer to produce them. I knew I wanted to incorporate leather on the buckle but knew further testing would need to be done. Genuine leather proved to be anything but durable as genuine leather
can not withstand large amounts of water. It took an entire year of designing and testing our samples before we launched. We outsourced certified vegan leather material that could withstand large amounts of rain, we knew quality was our number 1 priority so natural rubber was a must.
Praying over our products was still a very important factor in our company, and we knew that even if we grew, we still wanted to be able to pray over our boots and for our customers as a whole. We incorporated the verse “1Sam. 1:27” (For this child I have prayed, and the Lord has granted the desires of my heart) on the heel of every pair. Even in our growth, we knew the Lord was still our center of focus.

In August 2020, we launched our very first Pine Boot Collection. I could not have physically been prepared for what God had in store for our company. He continues to provide in ways only He can. Our Pine Boots flew off the shelves and our community grew even bigger. With this success, we knew we were in a place where we could start giving back to our community.

I started praying and seeking guidance on what organizations we could start giving to and how God wanted us to give.
It weighed heavy on my heart that there are so many sexually abused victims in the world.

Having gone through this trauma myself as a child, I knew this is where I was being called to. I started really seeking God’s guidance and having total faith that His plan all along was to give me a voice. I choose to not be a victim. I am not what happened to me, I am what I CHOOSE to become. I started doing a lot of research and actually felt drawn to both Anti-Human Trafficking and Anti-Sexual Assault Organizations that helped these victims through this trauma. We started donating a percent of our profits to Allies Inc. in Indianapolis, Indiana. They help aid and mentor trafficked victims in our area and provide education and awareness to our local schools.

We also give annually to RAINN, an anti-sexual violence organization that helps educate the public, aid and mentor survivors and fights to improve the public policy.
Because of God and our amazing customers, we are able to give back and continue to use this platform as a voice.

Being vulnerable has never been my strong suit and I struggled with sharing my story for a long time, but I live by not letting my fear or my past define me. I take big chances with complete faith. I live by the verse. “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
It amazes me the plans God had and continues to have for my life. This company is so much more than a pair of shoes. Even though we take so much pride in our products and our quality, it really is about the ways we can serve the Lord and serve others. I have such a passion for entrepreneurship and giving to others and it has been so cool to see the two entwine. I fully believe that God has a plan for each one of us and it’s way bigger than any of us could ever imagine, we just have to trust Him.
I never could have imagined this was His plan for ME.

Proverbs 3:5 {Trust in the Lord with all your heart}
Psalm 28:7 {The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him.}