QUAKING ASPEN
Quaking Aspen
Handmade in Chicago
June 17, 2015 Friends, Family, CommunityOverwhelmed is an understatement. You, friends, have completely blown us away. Words cannot begin to express our gratitude. Your foundational support has gone beyond what we could have ever imagined. We truly could not have launched without you! By the grace of God and countless words of encouragement, prayers, visits to our studio at all hours of the day and night, food, drinks, laughter, tears, hugs, product purchases and social media shout-outs, all of these made it happen. The past few weeks have truly been a dream - a dream that is both exciting and challenging. Day after day, we comment on how wild this life is. We can’t seem to get over the fact that we have the freedom and ability to pursue something like this! It’s a gift - one that we do not take for granted as we move forward with new responsibilities and hearts full of determination. As we wrap up this first collection and begin to develop our next one, we cannot help but acknowledge and boastfully share our pride in knowing each one of you, both near and far. You have shown us the purest form of what true community is. Thank you for patiently walking beside us as we have attempted (as gracefully as possible) to navigate the art of starting a business while working full time. We have grown and been stretched in countless ways and you have lovingly been there cheering us on and donating your time and advice. It’s extremely humbling! Quaking Aspen, 22|44’s inaugural collection, will forever hold a special place in our hearts. Walking away from it now brings new life to the word bittersweet. We love it. It is a tangible representation of realized hopes and found purpose.
Table of Content Who We Are Q1.1 Quaking Aspen Collection Production Process Product Collaborators – Feral Park Organization – Traffick Free Team What’s Next
Who We Are TwentyTwo|FortyFour is a Lifestyle Brand, designed to bridge the gap between quality, unique, affordable product and a socially responsible culture. Our hand-made pieces are not only intended to enhance daily life, they are also created to increase awareness of the current negative impact of human trafficking. This leads us to our seasonal collections. We offer a variety of ethically made products that fit well into your everyday life whether it be clothing, accessories or home goods. We believe that it is possible to live in a socially responsible way and we invite friends, creatives, artist, and makers all over the country to collaborate on pieces that will encourage and ignite a new social norm.
Q1.1 Quaking Aspen Collection The Aspen tree captivates the eye with contrasting dark scars on a white surface. Our raw white silk reflects the alternating smooth to rough texture of the bark. The dark leather and wood accent each piece creating a stark composition in feel and color.
Production Process One of the biggest challenges for us in building a brand is finding materials and fabrics that are ethically sourced – supplies with a clean footprint. So much of our time is spent researching companies, visiting fabric stores, ordering swatches and digging deep into the different second-hand stores around Chicago to find the perfect materials. The search is rigorous and frustrating but our rare finds have been a straight up goldmine, worthy of a victory dance, or two. For our first collection, we used a beautiful raw silk fabric purchased from Dharma Trading Co. Why Dharma? First and foremost, Dharma specifically states their policy on sweat shops and slave labor in their Company History. They are actively against depriving humans of their dignity, which includes avoiding forced labor, child labor and any unfair treatment of workers. Not only that, they also offer beautiful, quality fabrics that are affordable. We carefully wove this fabric into each piece and included accents of leather (from a leather coat found at a secondhand store) and intricate wooden buttons handmade by Arrow Mountain (Esty)!
White Lace Wrap This head wrap is made from re-purposed lace and finished with hand embroidered, 100% raw silk - the perfect addition to a messy bun or bed head look.
Distressed Leather Clutch This clutch is made from 100% raw silk and re-purposed brown leather - it’s soft hold is smooth like butter.
Unrefined Leather Bow Tie This bow tie is made from 100% raw silk and re-purposed brown leather, designed with the classically unrefined guy in mind.
Dreamer Wall Hanging Our version of a dream catcher - this wall hanging celebrates the act of catching dreams and bringing them to life.
Silk Smock Tank This tank is made from 100% raw silk with a draped open back - bring on the summer festivals!
Feral Park Candle Hand poured candle with scents of cedar, sage, spruce, juniper, rosemary, basil, lime and pine paired with an atmospheric playlist.
Collaboration - Feral Park Feral Park. Goods for being present: candles with an atmospheric pairing playlist. Handpoured in Chicago by Michael Mirza, Scott Schermer and Sean Burke. Together, TwentyTwo|FortyFour and Feral Park have combined vision + talent to create a candle that is unique to the Quaking Aspen Collection. Q1.1.6 is a beautiful blend of design + scent that compliments the collection with fresh, woodsy and herbal notes. The labeling is kept clean with a simple black and white design combining each brands’ logo, designed by Scott Schermer. Produced locally, each candle has been hand-poured with the purpose of giving 22% of the proceeds to Traffick Free to help fight human trafficking. Our thoughts: the Q1.1.6 calms, refreshes and creates an atmosphere that reminds us of a summer night surrounded by friends and family.
Organization - Traffick Free Mission Traffick Free is a faith-motivated organization that seeks to provide the greater metropolitan area of Chicago with tools and sustainable programs to combat human trafficking and transform the lives of victims, perpetrators and communities.
Vision Traffick Free will mobilize the Chicagoland community to become a place where human trafficking is unacceptable and survivors have available resources for immediate and holistic needs.
Who We Are We are writers and waiters; attorneys and activists; educators and event planners; designers and doctors; musicians and managers. We are ordinary people who are volunteering our talents and our time to end to human trafficking in Chicago and eventually throughout the world. Ironically, human trafficking frustrates definition by appearing in countless forms, but ultimately, it is all acts related to the recruitment, transport, sale or purchase of people through force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of economic exploitation. Human beings are not commodities. We are not disposable. Our worth cannot be affixed to a price and any act that does so must not be tolerated. Yet, not only is it tolerated, human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world; it is second most profitable after drug smuggling, and equal with illegal arms transactions. It thrives because it is invisible – subversive – and this will continue as long as most people fail to realize that it is happening all around them. Therefore, it is our purpose to first create awareness of human trafficking and then to take tangible and active steps on all levels to see to its end. As citizens, we may not have all the answers but we believe we are part of the solution. We act as a catalyst, igniting a synergistic movement by combining resources, skills and expertise to end the demand for trafficking and free those enslaved. You don’t have to be a social worker or federal agent to make a difference. All you have to do is care that there are human beings who are not free and be willing to take action on their behalf. Welcome to a new world – one that is Traffick Free. For general inquiries, please contact us via email: findoutmore@traffickfree.org
Quaking Aspen Team
Quaking Aspen Team (left to right) : Dave & Fabi Hamstra, Mike Killion, Abby Gelsomino, Ruthie Fuller, Brittany Garber. Lindsay Schroeder, Camille Dunbar and Tim Anderson
Models -Dave and Fabi Hamstra Photographer - Mike Killion Stylist - Abby Gelsomino Makeup Artist - Lindsay Schroeder Production Asstitant - Camille Dunbar Videographer- Tim Anderson
Up Next!
November 14 - Conscious Coffee with Stepping Stones December 5 - Knit In The Studio December 5 - Christmas In The Studio