Then and Now.
Synthetic gear goes full speed right off the shelf. What’s more impressive is how easy it is to get to market. A single mouse ‘click’ exports a pattern, and busy hands slam garments together in less time than it takes to fry sausages. That efficiency can come at the cost of longevity. After decades of repairs, I’ve replaced miles of zippers and reapplied rolls of seam tape. Nylon and polyester fabrics shed their coatings, fray at the seams, and rot from UV exposure. By default or by design, they die. It’s genetic.
Lather. Rinse. Repeat. It’s cheap enough, isn’t it?
That doesn’t inspire me. I own 60 year old coats. They ain’t nylon.
Nature has its quirks.
I use natural fibers and hides. You’ll see range marks on my leather, odd yarns in the canvas, and wild hairs in my wool because I won’t waste good material. Forget perfection. This stuff was absorbing sunlight and chewing plants in the last few decades, not bubbling in prehistoric limbo. Expect flaws. They are beautiful.
I will run over a seam twice, and work a scar into the back of a mitten thumb if it doesn’t affect the durability. Every hand crafted garment is flawed. No two will be identical. If you ever see a cosmetically perfect garment from Empire, it was not intentional.
My warranty is simple.
I try to build it right in the first place, so I’ll promise make it right again if you find a *functional* problem. If something goes wonky because of the way I built it, I’ll fix it or replace it for free. Movable components will wear out, but I’m happy to swap those out for you. Wear and tear are expected, especially on wool. All clothing will die, eventually. I’ll offer repairs at a reasonable rate until then.
The final word.
If you’re unsatisfied with your purchase, send it back unused within 15 days for a full refund.
…OK, these are important words too.
- I don’t assign temperature ratings. Anyone who does this is full of marshmallow fluff. I build clothing. Use at your discretion. No performance metric is expressed or implied.
- If you’re sensitive or allergic to wool, cotton canvas, or the chemicals used to process them, close your browser and go away. These permeate everything in this shop. Seriously, it’s the Empire Wool and Canvas Company. You will be exposed to wool and cotton canvas.
- I do not build protective gear. Exposure to temperature extremes, toxins, and a blatant disregard for basic physics can impact your health and safety.