Maps that make a difference
Our vision is that these maps make a difference to individuals and organisations around the world. As well as being beautiful pieces of functional art, they are unique, informative and fun tools to display stories, promote and educate global issues.
By using our World maps as literature devices to illustrate global perspective, organisations can more effectively educate people about the differences they are making around the world; promoting their global initiatives to their consumers; and ultimately, hopefully, aid more money being raised for great causes.
Why we make them
It was whilst witnessing first-hand the devastating effects of deforestation on the wildlife and rainforests in Borneo, seeing dirty waste water polluting beautiful tropical islands, that the Founder, Rory’s eyes were opened. He was compelled to build an eco-friendly brand and product that could make a difference, by helping to raise awareness of issues around the world with a beautiful product at the centre.
He has strived to make a product that not only looks great in your home, office or shop—sparking conversations of past adventures—but more importantly to him, for every map sold a percentage is donated to a good cause, including Sea Sheperd, Surfers Against Sewage, and other environmental charities.
Why the name ‘Moby’?
The name Moby Maps was partly inspired by ‘Moby Dick’, the tale of a rogue whale that traversed the worlds’ oceans, travelling wherever the currents took him, overthrowing whalers in his path. With elements of good old fashioned adventure, the novel has a more poignant message about the preservation of wildlife and the importance of holding true to your own values.
RORY'S STORY
Disheartened by my 9-5 career, feeling undervalued in a heartless company it was with no regret that I handed in my notice. I was desperate to broaden my horizons and decided to go travelling using all the savings I had to fund the first leg of my journey, I ended being up away for two years. Travelling on a shoestring budget allowed me to experience and do so much more than I could ever have imagined.
I've climbed a 4000 ft mountain, and nearly fell off it! Jumped out a plane, and did it again. Flew helicopters, and learnt to crash-land one (safely). Meditated, practiced Yoga and learnt Kung Fu with monks from China and Japan. Played the spoons and danced like a hillbilly with a bluegrass mountain band in Oz, partied on tropical beaches in Asia and danced till sunrise like nobody was watching.
I spent three months working on a million acre cattle station in the Australian Outback fulfilling my childhood dream of riding horses, mustering cattle, wrestling cows, rodeoing bulls, and fighting cowboys (sometimes winning...and sometimes losing). Showered with frogs, avoided crocs, woken up with snakes in my bed twice, came face to face with poisonous spiders, accidentally trodden on a deadly snake barefooted and narrowly avoided a run in with a huge man-killing-bird.
I have lived in the Middle East, ridden motorbikes through the Arabian Desert, walked barefoot on the smooth marble floors of grand mosques, sailed off the Great Barrier Reef, watched whales breaching over the horizon, marvelled at double rainbows, shooting stars, sunrises and sunsets in various parts of the world.
I’ve skied and snowboarded in Europe, drunkenly front flipped an après-ski bar stool, cruised the canals in France, danced Salsa on hot nights in the rain and ran with the bulls in Spain. I tried kite surfing in the Caribbean, jumped off waterfalls and dived off huge rocks, swam with turtles and sharks, free-dived to wrecks and scuba-dived off beaches, had romances with some beautiful and amazing women, been on the craziest stag party in Bangkok, and seen a 90yr old man jump from a roof into a pool at a wedding on an Thai Island. I hope that I'm still kicking it when I'm as old as ‘Jeffy’ what a legend!
“Moby Maps was born from the desire to share my travel stories and experiences with family & friends, and encourage others to share theirs.”
On returning home to England that burning desire to create was still there, as well as a new found love of travel. I couldn’t find any other world maps remotely like I envisaged to pin all my photos and mementoes to, and so, having years of experience in graphic design, and with carpentry skills picked up from my father, I got to work creating something myself.
In the last two weeks of my two years travelling, after countless adventures, I discovered I had cancer, flew straight home, was promptly operated on, treated to Chemotherapy, and assured I would be safe from it returning. What I wasn't prepared for was the downward spin caused by the Chemo’, struggling with energy, focus, and confidence I fell into depression for months, which affected my ability to cope with my day job and life generally.
One day I snapped realising I needed to get away from the constant overbearing struggle with my health and daily grind, so I decided to go traveling again. I booked a flight to Barcelona and set off backpacking around Spain and Portugal, with the sole intention of regaining my confidence, studying the work of artists and architects like Antoni Guadí, and visiting the cork forests and farms in Portugal to learn about how this wonderful material I was thinking of using for my maps was made. Two months flew by, the plan worked, I felt alive, I was on fire and ready to take life on again. On returning home I set to work making maps in my spare time, as they were becoming popular with my friends.
Unfortunately, around the time I decided to start taking this more seriously and turn it into a business, I took another big hit when I fell snowboarding suffering a severe trauma injury to my spine, which meant enduring two years of physical rehab before I could run or even pick up a map.
Despite all of this, I have persevered since beginning with the design and manufacture of a quality handmade product, churning out countless prototypes, and enjoyed turning my hand to a traditional craft. Focussing on this objective was the distraction and motivation I needed to rise above all my personal challenges.
Aside from my own adventures and hiccups, refining the design for the highest quality print on cork, experimenting with the durability and pin-retention of the cork, mastering the art of frame making all with the aim of reducing the overall weight by 50%, whilst keeping the product as affordable as possible has been extremely challenging and rewarding to say the least.
Checkout the maps we make, and start to Tell Your Tales!