Appropriately enough, Perry Farrell’s voice started filling the room behind me as I type this from my porch. “SUMMER! YEAH YEAH YEAH!” The tone of his shout a perfect match for the exuberance I’m feeling at the moment. The sun is high, the sky is blue and it’s warm enough to second guess my choice of jeans over shorts. It is days like this that validate our choice to live here in the Pacific Northwest, to muscle through the silver skies and short, shadowless days that populate the wet winters (and springs and falls). It’s days like this that turn one’s mind to open windows, lemonade, clothing in single layers and as Perry mentions, wearing no shoes.
The Oakridge is a great summer shirt. Where most shirts in this style leave me feeling like an extra from the Soprano’s or a guy who lost his bowling ball, the Oakridge feels like a modern take on mid-century classic. The kind of shirt you wear sitting in a Willy Guhl Loop Chair, while sipping from a glass with hula girls on the side. Even though it’s made from 100% organic cotton, the weave has a surprising stretchiness. Two snapped pockets, interesting stitching details, and good looking snaps all around. I particularly like the fabric and detail choices made on the inside of the collar. On the other hand, I’m not crazy about the Navajo blanket strip that runs under the snaps. I would much rather see the same fabric that appears on the inner collar instead. It is a small thing on an otherwise excellent shirt that I’ll be wearing all summer long.
On to the Humboldt short – Made of Ramie*, organic cotton and spandex (54, 44 and 2% respectively) The Humboldt short has a nice weight and texture, while also having a bit of stretchiness. Although the cut is a little above the knee for my taste, the details are spot on. Once again, the stitching is clean and the brass rivets, button and zipper are nice touches. I especially like the cleanly integrated side pocket, although if if you drop anything down in there, you’ll need friend with small hands to fish it out, that or be prepared to hang upside down until it falls out.
Not only is Ecōths making some nice clothes, they are also giving back; according to their tag:
⁃ “As part of our GOOD SAM program, Ecōths will be supporting local food banks around the country. For every Ecoths garment purchased in the United States, three meals will be provided to someone in need through their local food bank.”
The Oakridge Shirt – $67
The Humboldt Short – $67
Unfortunately, Ecōths doesn’t have an online store up and running quite yet, so you’ll have to find a brick and mortar one for now.
Good:
- Fabrics have nice amount of give
- The fit
- Shirt pockets snap and fit an iPhone (an increasingly welcome detail)
- Interesting stitching details on the shirt
- Good snaps and buttons
- Ecōths has a nice amount of give as well
Not So Good:
- that odd choice of fabric under shirt snaps. Others might like it, but mixed with the plaid, it gives me vertigo
*The More You Know: Ramie, a flowering plant, and one of the oldest fiber crops, has been used for making fabrics for over six thousand years.
boring stuff: Ecōths provided me with review samples, this in no way effected my opinions or review. Images via Ecōths