That’s actually kinda the point.

It’s actually big enough to read if you’re close without a glass. It’s meant to engender conversation, connection. What’s that say? You mind if I read? It’s too small and too long to read it as someone walks by and silently judge them, up or down.

At the Trident, where I thought of this sweatshirt in line, folks connecting, for many years they had the condiment table (you know, milk, sugar, straws, napkins, trash) in the middle of the line. Folks would get their order, then have to backtrack and excuse themselves into the middle of the line. They would interact and talk as they filled their coffee with milk or whathaveyou.

Folks complained, saying it was inefficient.

Mike, the Buddhist owner and daily manager and a mentor to many of us, replied once that it was intentional. It forced folks to connect, to create community organically, instead of merely isolating themselves as they to-goed or behind their phone or laptop or even in conversation with whomever they came with and already knew and liked.A few years back, he was fired, bought out, and replaced–the condiment table is now twice the size, replacing two favorite cafe tables, is now after the line, has a refrigerator with drinks below it, schwag for sale..and no compost or recycle. There’s little to no conversation around it.

 

 

Want one? Or inspired to gift one, get one and save a few bucks? They’re available at our Eco Shop.

Photos via our very own eco shop master and editor (and now, model!), Juliana.

It’s our first new Eco Shop offering in, what, two years? It’s plastic free. Most printing on tees and hoodies etc is toxic, and microplastics our watershed. Our ink is water based. The sweatshirt itself is eco, it’s organic, fair labor. 

It’s not gray, photo just came out that way.

We ship plastic-free, even the tape, with Eco Enclose, and pay better than fair wages. 

It’s oversized, for cozy house-wearing, and fashionable street-wearing.