Anti T-shirt light indigo
$495.00
As seen in Airmail, Departures and Vogue Business.
Shown here with our Water Master Pants.
The first thing I learned while living in the mountains is that stretch fabric does not exist in nature. Who knew? That's because spandex is a man-made material made from fossil fuels.
At the time, I was writing the script for my TED animation, "The Lifecycle of a T-shirt," and discovered how polluting it is to make the average t-shirt. It left me depressed for weeks and inspired me to make its complete opposite.
So how can one design a t-shirt style without stretch, but still feel casual and comfortable? Alas, the open-back solution!
The fabric wraps around the shoulders, drapes dramatically in the back, and is held together by an adjustable neck tie. Perfect for a hot summer day when the warm breeze cools you from behind.
The cropped boxy cut is best worn with high-waisted pants, tucked slightly in the front for an effortless look.
Hand-embroidered contrast stitching sits atop hand-sewn french seams that follow the curves of the body.
Dipped in natural indigo and hung in the sun to fade, the blotchy effect is characteristic of the small-batch hand-dye process.
The original prototype was made for a Smithsonian exhibition, took two years to perfect. It was the first style we made entirely by hand.
Style 01101
Non-stretch fabric.
Fits true to size, take your normal size. For a looser fit, take the next size up.
Those with broad shoulders may take the next size up.
Model is 175 cm/5'9" and is wearing a size Small.
S = size 4 (US)
M = size 6 - 8 (US)
L = size 8 - 10 (US)
Ingredients:
100% native seed cotton
We use natural off-white cotton that is grown by the village artisans using organic farming practices.
Native cotton seed can actually grow during a drought. Not to be confused with the water-thirsty GMO cotton seed invented 30 years ago that now makes up 99.4% of cotton production globally.
TIME REQUIRED TO MAKE EACH GARMENT:
Growing cotton: 4 months
Preparing cotton: 3 days
Hand-spinning: 5 days
Setting up loom: 1 weeks
Hand-weaving: 3 - 5 days
Finishing fabric: 3 days
Dyeing fabric: 2 - 14 days
Cutting fabric: 1 days
Sewing: 3 - 9 days
Washing: 2 days
TOTAL = 5 - 6 MONTHS
Seed-to-sewing in a 30-mile radius:
Hand-spun
Hand-woven
Hand-sewn
Hand-dyed
No chemicals
No fossil fuels
No electricity
No GMO
Artisans paid a living wage
Each piece was beaten with a wooden mallet to make the fabric extra soft and drapey. It will continue to get softer with each wash.
NATURAL WHITES:
Don't be afraid of wearing off-white. Since no chemicals were used, the fabric retains the natural oils of the cotton plant. Dirt and stains easily roll off when washed, just like a white poodle after a doggie bath.
1) Hand-wash cold, line dry, or
2) Machine-wash in mesh bag, line dry
DYED COLORS:
Natural dyes will fade and become more beautiful over time. It is similar to how dark blue jeans will lighten with each washing.
For a faded patina effect:
Hand-wash cold, line dry
To keep the original color:
Dry-clean only
IRONING:
Natural fibers will wrinkle. This shows that it is not blended with any synthetic fibers.
Our garments should be ironed using the highest setting (HOT) with steam.