06.21.08
Peligrosa: Dangerously Eco-Chic
Peligrosa (Spanish for “dangerous”) has everything an eco-conscious shopper could possibly want from a clothing company. The knits are whimsical, sexy and classic all at once. And the best part? When it comes to the crafting process, there’s nothing “dangerous” about these clothes at all.
Peligrosa knits are made from sustainable fabrics – organic cotton, wool and cashmere – and use natural, non-toxic dyes. Virtually everything about this company is eco-friendly, from the manufacturing (mostly done at the company’s home base in California) to the packaging (all recycled), right down to the clothes’ buttons (made from bamboo, tagua or coconut) and tags (printed with soy-based inks on 100% recycled cardboard).
There are no gimmicks or green-washing here: just serious commitment to style, comfort and conscience. Achieving harmony between cutting-edge fashion and eco-awareness is no easy feat, but Peligrosa makes it look effortless.
It’s fitting, then, that behind this company is a love story. Adam Sidell and Nico Morrison were two California sweater designers who had each started their own fashion companies based in Japan. After meeting to discuss design over coffee in the summer of 2004, they fell in love and eventually started a family – and Peligrosa.
Their partnership was born from “a gap in the market for quality knits in natural fibers,” Sidell told California Apparel News. “We want to be conscious and forward but still classic and a little bit funky.”
One glimpse of the summer collection will show you Peligrosa has accomplished that and more. The chic clothes have earned buzz from magazines like Shape and FOAM and websites like apparelnews.net and greendaily.com. With their “elegant, timeless silhouettes in organic fibers with a modern twist,” Peligrosa knits are easy to integrate into your wardrobe this summer and beyond.
On March 12, 2008 Peligrosa was one of five eco collections featured during the Green Initiative Humanitarian Fashion Show at the Gallery Los Angeles during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. Reviewing the show, Aimee Tang at lasplash.com called Peligrosa “a testament to the quality and benefits of ethical manufacturing.”
To see for yourself, check out Peligrosa at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week runway show. And, of course, shop for Peligrosa right here at Jute & Jackfruit—coming soon in the fall!
06.09.08
The Jute & Jackfruit Logo Nearly Finalized
The JJF logo is nearly finalized. Here is the prototype- our designer is now improving final touches to the logo to ready for production on all our materials and sites. We are very excited to almost start spreading the love- hang tight.
What does the JJF logo mean? The fruit in the logo symbolizes key elements of the company and brand. Namely:
- Fresh
- Hip
- Juicy
- Colorful
- Playful
- Sumptuous
Together with the jute leaf, and the circular component to the design, we intend to evoke the feeling of sustainability & the cyclical nature of life. If you look close enough too, the fruit design looks almost like a woman (eg Mother Nature).
Other associations with our brand:
- Eco-chic
- Stylish
- Sexy
- Good for you
- Good for the environment
- Good for humanity (fair trade)
- Unique
- Handcrafted
- Feminine
The symbol also represents an artistic combination of a jackfruit, jute leaves, and a woman, an ode to all the wonderful women and Mothers on the planet.
Stay tuned for more on our logo!
06.06.08
Inspiration for the Name: Part II
Photo: Rickshaw driver after the rains in Dhaka, Bangladesh
As one of the poorest countries in South Asia, with few resources and high population density coupled with major annual flooding, Bangladesh is a country that easily evokes compassion on a first visit.
As one of the densest countries on earth (150 million people living in a space the size of Ohio), it also suffers from limited natural resources, marginal GDP and major flooding at least once per year. Despite these challenges, (or perhaps because of them), Bangladesh happens to be one of the most green countries when it come to recycling. In fact, Bangladesh has banned plastic bags – recognizing early on the damaging impact the bags have on the planet and their inability to degrade rapidly.
Working with many of the Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) and non-profits in the country, I continually gained inspiration by observing the extremely hardworking, committed people devoting their lives to poverty alleviation, improved health and progress for the country.
Over the years, I spent months there and grew very fond of the place and people.
When I began thinking about starting the clothing company and what I should name it, jute came to mind, due to its all-natural characteristics and durability as well as its easy of growth in Bangladesh (not to mention China, Myanmar, Burma and other places). Jackfruit as well, prolifically grown in the country, represents a unique, indigenous aspect of Asia which is appealing, tasty and also seasonal—much like clothing collections. Jackfruit then, represents the constantly changing nature of fashion, aligned with the seasons….keeping us fresh and vibrant.
Rickshaws are still a common mode of transportation in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. On my last trip there, the streets flooded almost every day, but luckily the guest house I stayed in was in a higher elevated part of town. Here is a photo I took early morning of a typical rickshaw driver getting ready to drive morning commuters to work.
Flooding affects everywhere in town, often making road passage by car difficult in the rainy season as well as construction projects come to a halt. In this photo, a flooded street is lined with beams for a new building made out of local wood.
06.04.08
Inspiration for the Company Name Part I
Some of you may wonder, why ‘Jute and Jackfruit’? What does that mean? Well, the short answer to that is ….it’s alliterative, fun, and dynamic….
The longer answer is jute is one of the most prolific all natural fibers in the world, and underutilized in my opinion. Jackfruit, also unknown to a large extent is a juicy, unique tasting fruit found mostly in Asia and Latin America. The two together create a compelling combination – one that reflects the fresh seasonality of fashion coupled with the sustainability of JJF’s green mission. Finally, both just and jackfruit happen to come from a country close to my heart: Bangladesh.
My first encounter with jackfruit was on one of many trips to Bangladesh, working in international development. First at the guest house breakfast, I noticed these funny looking yellow fruits in a bowl. After inquiring as to what they were, I gave one a taste and was hooked ever since. Later in one of our non-profit offices, I was given the opportunity to break open a large jackfruit (featured above), which increased my admiration for the fruit and its exquisite interior.
Part of the inspiration for the name is because I believe that the solutions to climate change involve our entire global village and not just our own backyard. Bangladesh to me, epitomizes the environmental crisis, with 150 million people crammed in a small space, with so few economic opportunities and so much vulnerability to natural disasters and flooding (which appear to be increasing in severity). Plus, Bangladesh happens to grow jute naturally as well as jackfruit, thus providing a unique gateway to participation in the global economy.
The individual jackfruits are then picked out. One jackfruit can feed a whole family practically! I know it looks intimidating, maybe even bordering on ‘yuck’, but it is actually really quite tasty! I wish I could buy them here! Maybe someday….
