by jenni earle
This new jenni earle talisman has been a long time coming! We are so excited to bring this to life. Excited really isn’t even the word, it’s a dream! Leveling up our dyeing game and using an historic technique and adding not only the screen print design but also embroidery. I have been looking at it since we made it and feel so proud to have created this wild rag.
Let me tell you a story:
Last year, I started searching for a domestically produced double gauze cotton. I called and googled and asked all the connections I’ve made in the fabric industry and came up empty. Because I have been so proud to make a fully hyper-local product in the bandanas, I wanted to continue that through the rest of our product offerings. I tabled the wild rag idea until i could find it, and as it does, a path revealed itself.
In August, we were set up at a show called Shoppe Object in NYC and a lovely Japanese man came to our booth. We started talking (through his interpreter) about our mutual love of bandanas, how they are so versatile and eco-friendly, as well as stylish, of course! Takeuchi told me about Japanese bandana culture. Nearly every Japanese man carries a bandana or handkerchief every day! He was intrigued by our product and design and wanted to collaborate. I was able to ask him about his fabric production. He literally cried talking about the pride he feels for his sustainable production facility. Takeuchi makes a gorgeously soft double-gauze cotton.
I finally felt comfortable with our fabric source, even though it isn’t domestic, it is wildly sustainable and feels like the right step. I am grateful to have made this connection so we could bring you this fun new way to WEAR YOUR BRAVE!
I did some research about dyeing techniques to use on this wild rag, as I wanted the pattern to be embedded into the fabric. The folding and pinching shibori technique gives the scarf a vintage style that we are just crazy for! When the printing goes on and mimics the white thread on the hem, that jenni earle style comes through without overpowering the beauty of the dye. The last bit, the pièce de résistance, is the embroidered horseshoe and our signature mantra “be brave.”
Finishing the wild rag at 36” allows for so many ways to wear and use this scarf. We will be showing you some style ideas in the coming weeks, but allow yourself to experiment. From a way to warm your neck in winter to a wrap to take to the beach, the uses are endless. Please post and share your photos with the #thisisjenniearle hashtag so we can see!! And repost!
I hope you love this product as much as I do. I will continue to urge you to show up bravely to your life, i will keep bringing you options to carry that reminder with you!!
Take good care out there trailblazers!!!
Be brave,
Be authentic,
xo,
jenni earle