Alabama Chanin begins an ongoing collaboration with Patagonia as part of their Truth to Materials initiative. Natalie writes an essay entitled “What Remains,” published in Patagonia’s Truth to Materials lookbook.
Built upon a shared mission for zero-waste production, this partnership breathes new life into gently loved pieces through the circular design process of upcycling. Patagonia jackets that have reached the end of their lives in their current state—whether they are outgrown or in need of small repairs that prevent them from continuing on their current journey—are delivered to Alabama Chanin’s Building 14 manufacturing division where they are carefully deconstructed by hand, and stitched back together (much like Natalie’s first shirts), taking new forms as wraps, bandanas, and scarves. What began as an exclusively machine-sewn project has evolved into an ongoing release of Reclaimed Down capsules in limited-edition colors, hand-sewn by local artisans.
“A big part of the beauty of this project is the prior lives of the down jackets. We will never know what each has ‘lived’ through. We will never know who owned it, if they loved it, how much they wore it, or what happened in their lives with they did...The new owner has license to imagine that their scarf has (in its prior incarnation) summited a mountain or sailed around the world.” —Natalie Chanin from “What Remains”, 2014 for Patagonia’s Truth to Materials collection lookbook (page 39).
Shop limited-edition Reclaimed Down from Alabama Chanin’s latest release here.
Learn more about Patagonia’s Truth to Materials collection here.
Slide 1: Grace Malloy of Poco Farm wearing Reclaimed Down Scarves for Patagonia’s Truth to Materials collection lookbook, 2014, photograph by Jeff Johnson
Slides 2–3: Spreads from Patagonia’s Truth to Materials collection lookbook with photos by Jeff Johnson, 2014, photographs by Robert Rausch
Slide 4: Reclaimed Down Scarves from Alabama Chanin’s 21 Year collection, photograph by Rinne Allen
Slide 5: Reclaimed Down Wrap in Black and Reclaimed Down Bandana from Alabama Chanin’s One-of-a-Kind collection, photographs by Robert Rausch
Slide 6: Reclaimed Down Bandana in Plum from Alabama Chanin’s One-of-a-Kind collection, photograph by Robert Rausch; Reclaimed Down Vest from Alabama Chanin’s 21 Year collection, photograph by Abraham Rowe
Slide 7: Reclaimed Down Bandana in Plum from Alabama Chanin’s One-of-a-Kind collection, photograph by Rinne Allen
Slide 8: Cover photo by Jeff Johnson and Natalie’s essay, “What Remains” for Patagonia’s Truth to Materials collection lookbook, 2014, photograph by Robert Rausch
Slide 9: Natalie Chanin and her daughter Maggie photographed by Jeff Johnson at Tom Hendrix’s Wichahpi Commemorative Stone Wall in Florence, Alabama for Patagonia’s Truth to Materials collection lookbook, 2014, photograph by Robert Rausch
Slide 10: Sign with Natalie’s mantra, “Make what you love” in The Factory, 2014, photograph by Rinne Allen