For our latest partnership spotlight, we sat down with our corporate partner, Pantalones Organic Tequila, to chat with co-founder Camila Alves McConaughey and take a behind-the-scenes look at the values and practices shaping the brand – from creating 100% USDA-certified organic Blue Weber Agave tequila to their commitment to community and sustainability.
Pantalones and Surfrider are celebrating our third year of partnership, and we’re proud of the impact we’ve created together. Over the past three years, standout moments have included our annual Earth Day cleanup on South Padre Island in Texas, where Pantalones, Surfrider, local partners, and volunteers have removed more than 300 pounds of trash over the past two years alone. We've also celebrated Surfrider's work with Pantalones as one of our leading supporters at our One Ocean Galas in Montauk, New York and Orange County, California.
Across our beach cleanups with Pantalones, we've removed more than 900 pounds of trash – about the weight of a car – while engaging more than 400 volunteers. These cleanups have spanned the country, from Chicago to Los Angeles to Jacksonville, bringing Pantalones and Surfrider together with local communities to care for the coastlines they love. By hosting cleanups with us across the U.S., Pantalones helps activate local communities, introduce new people to Surfrider's mission, and turn shared values into meaningful action.
To learn more about Pantalones and our work together, read on.
Please introduce yourself, your background, and your role with Pantalones Organic Tequila.
I’m Camila Alves McConaughey, co-founder of Pantalones Organic Tequila. Matthew and I created Pantalones to make a 100% Blue Weber Agave, super-premium organic product that brings fun back to the world of tequila.
As co-founder, I have my hands on different parts of the brand, from the creation of the liquid and packaging, securing accounts, account relations, and to how we show up in the world. The partnerships and community initiatives we take on are an extension of that, which is exactly how our relationship with the Surfrider Foundation came to be. We both believe in bringing people together while making a positive impact on the places we all enjoy.
How have your guiding values led the brand where it is today?
It’s been incredible to see how far Pantalones has come in such a short time. What started as an idea has grown into a nationally and internationally recognized brand that is now available across the U.S. and around the globe. Along the way, we’ve earned more than fifty industry awards for our liquid, become the Official Tequila of Austin FC, and partnered with organizations and brands that share our values.
We want people to love Pantalones not just for what's in the bottle, but also for what we stand for. We believe doing good can be part of the fun. Sustainability doesn’t have to feel intimidating or overly serious, and when it doesn’t, more people are inspired to participate.
What practices do you employ to balance the deep commitments to responsible business practices — which require significant investments — with the playful spirit of the brand?
We don’t see responsibility and fun as opposites. In fact, we believe that making sustainability approachable and enjoyable can help bring more people into the conversation. A beach cleanup with your friends, family, and neighbors can be a genuinely good time, and you leave knowing you did something positive for your community. Our goal is to take the work seriously without always taking ourselves too seriously.
Will you tell us about any sustainability commitments that you are especially proud of?
One of the things that matters most to me is that we've always tried to think beyond the bottle. Our tequila is made with 100% USDA-certified organic Blue Weber Agave grown by fourth-generation farmers in Jalisco, and we work to minimize waste at every step. At the distillery, we upcycle our agave fibers (bagasse) and remaining liquid (vinasse) for composting, and we also use eco-friendly shipping pallets made from recycled agave fibers.
How does Pantalones determine what causes you support and how does the partnership with the Surfrider Foundation fit in?
Our partnership with the Surfrider Foundation is also incredibly meaningful to us. We look for partners that share our belief in community, action, and creating a positive impact. Surfrider was a natural fit because of your decades-long commitment to protecting our ocean, beaches, and waterways through grassroots community involvement.
Together, we’ve committed to quarterly community cleanups across the country, bringing our team and local volunteers together to care for the places we all enjoy. That’s the kind of partnership we value most, one where we can roll up our sleeves, bring people together, and make a real difference.
How do you stay inspired and do you have any reflections on the difference that individuals can make for our ocean, coasts and natural environment to protect these special resources?
I’m inspired by seeing people come together with a shared purpose. Whether it’s around a dinner table or at a beach cleanup, those moments remind me that community is one of the most powerful forces for positive change.
Protecting our environment isn’t always about one big gesture. It’s about the small choices we make every day and the example we set for the people around us. When enough people make those choices together, the impact can be incredibly powerful.
Three years in, we're grateful to Pantalones Organic Tequila for continuing to show up for our communities and coastlines. We can't wait to see what's next!
To learn more about Pantalones Organic Tequila, visit the brand's website: https://pantalonestequila.com/
Follow Pantalones Organic Tequila and the Surfrider Foundation on social media to stay up to date on our partnership and our shared commitment to protecting the places we all love.