Now available at our shop!

New! We are proud to present the first of the Ownd Handmade Series: The Essex Scarf, available in red or purple plaid. These limited, hand-sewn scarves were created right here in the Ownd workshop! Available only at our online shop! Super-soft 50% flannel/50% fleece.

 Exposed topstitch. Sewn-in Razor Logo patch.

Made in Boston, MASS. USA! Stay fresh while supporting your local economy!

Most of us may not keep up on which politician has been on their best behavior lately or whether he/she may be the best choice for our future. However, there are many other important topics being voted on today and they can directly effect how we live our lives. Some places have more interesting and well-publicized options for change, such as the legalization of marijuana in California. Here in Massachusetts our options are a bit more boring, but just as important. With the ability to repeal state sales tax (6.25%) and liquor tax as well as the problematic 40b law (low income housing by eminent domain), there may be big changes in our daily lives and the way your tax money is spent. Even if you decide not to vote today, it is only fair to educate yourself on what others will be voting into law for you and how those choices may impact your life in the very near future. Now matter how you vote, your opinion matters. Good luck and safe voting!

Most clothing companies produce their lines overseas with sub-standard garments made in sub-standard conditions for one simple reason. It is more expensive to be responsible than it is to be irresponsible. Without having to adhere to expensive safety and environmental regulations, profit margins can easily soar thousands of percent higher than those of an item made in the US. This is simple industry fact.

As you can imagine in any environment where things are created to be so disposable, quality control might not be first priority. Many factories have a rating system for how many garments will make it home to you and then fail. A ripped sleeve, loss of buttons, a crooked screen print. This is usually a calculated as a percentage. The lower the percentage, the better the factory’s quality control. Typically, the better the factory the more people they have checking for quality control… but as you can imagine this eats into the bottom line. The fact that any percentage of product failures is OK is stunning. Its like saying “Yeah, we are going to make 10,000 Toyota Prius’, and on 100 of them the front wheel is going to fall off, but its OK”.

At Ownd we have been heading in a totally different direction than much of industry for years now. We founded this company on the ideal that if your going to bother to create something, you should take it, make it your own, and do it the best way you think it can be done. For us its not about profits, but upholding an ideal about how clothing should be made. A garment should be  fresh, socially and environmentally responsible, and something that you would want to wear all the time.

To this end, we only print within the USA on the highest quality, sweatshop-free garments. If we can’t find a shop or factory to produce an item to our standards, we do it ourselves. We maintain a full shop of sewing machines and a high quality screen printing equipment. Here we are able to take on small projects, create them by hand, and keep them made in the US, limited, unique, and high quality.

One example of this is that all the above pics have been from just the one aspect of the screen printing process for one element of the Series 1 winter scarves we will be releasing this weekend. It is our hope that you believe in our work as much as us. Thanks for your support. -Matt Ian and the Ownd team

Rumor has it this sign is a Wheel of Fortune original, customized for the shop.

Lindz and Seth, catching up.

Till next time!

On a recent trip I got to catch up with Yis [Nosego], and check out some of his newest projects. In addition to painting Fishtown’s food trucks, rad art openings, and being an all around stand-up guy, you can also expect to see his work in our new artist series dropping early next month. Seriously, have you ever seen a more positive dude!?!

Speaking of positive, this is my brother Mike. He’s hilarious and does lighting for some of Philly’s top theater shows. He’s also a sound designer and has an amazing audio project, Autumn Noël. Recently however, he had a not so awesome bike accident where he broke his hand…

…at the hospital patiently waiting for a few shiny new titanium screws and pins…. good luck Mikey!

Just some shots of the wacky weather here in Boston today, enjoy! Hopefully your weekend is a little less overcast.