Blog
Unnatural Naturals, the Cellulose Family
I am a huge fan of sustainable resources. It's one of the reasons, I dig cellulose fibers. Without get to technical, a cellulose fiber is made from esters of plant based material, i.e. corn, wood, leaves, and bark. The first artificial fiber was created in 1838 but wasn't used for textiles until the 1890's. Since then technology has changed, a shit load. With today's technology we have Tencel, Sorona, Kopak, Bamboo, and Modal. Because all of fibers are cellulose based, they all share some kick ass qualities. Some fibers have additional properties that help you, the client have a better...
The Polo Shirt: We've Come A Long Way, Baby
One cannot speak of the history of the modern day polo shirt without discussing the evolution of dress codes in the sport of tennis. Why? Well, because the polo shirt, despite its name, was actually invented by a tennis player for other tennis players. But today, the polo shirt can be found everywhere (in fact, most often off the tennis court) and is available for everyone to enjoy. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, tennis players sported what were then known as “tennis whites” while playing the game. These “whites,” which included flannel pants, a white, button up...
What's a Chino?
Spring is here, and that means it’s time to shift away from heavyweight denim towards lighter weight trousers or, in many cases, chinos. But what’s a chino? And where did they come from?While today the word “chino” has become interchangeable with trousers or khakis, the word itself has a specific connotation rooted in the history of the West. Beginning in the 1800s, the British military was interested in finding new, hardwearing fabrics to replace the traditional heavyweight wools that had been used in military uniforms up to that point. At the same time, Western imperialism was reaching its’ peak....
Tencel: No Need to Sacrifice
The environment. The term, particularly when used in the context of “saving the environment,” often prompts a visceral reaction. And while there are nuances, exceptions, and disagreements on environmental policy, what causes environmental damage, and how best to save the environment, I imagine that one would have to search pretty extensively to find someone who is fundamentally anti-environment. Someone who just hates clean air, trees, bunnies, and wants his or her tombstone to read, “Here lies Mr./Ms./Mrs. “X,” pro-swag yet anti-environment by principle.” The point being, the majority of rational human beings are of the mindset that environment =...