Designer Spotlight: Cut Loose, a San Franciscan Staple

Cut Loose has been a staple brand at By Hand for over 20 years, with their t-shirts, blouses, and pants making up a sizable portion of our women’s casual inventory. Our customers return every year to stock up on the brand’s washable, wearable, and travel-friendly items that exemplify “reliable simplicity”.

The Cut Loose lore begins in the late 70’s when items were actually “cut loose”, or one size fits all, and vended at Fisherman’s Wharf. Lackluster t-shirt colors prompted the company to create their own dyes, a tradition that Cut Loose continues today. The company extensively tests each fabric to see how it takes to dyes, how it holds shape, and how it feels. If you want to learn more about their manufacturing process, check out their website for a mini-tour!

The label is sewn and dyed to order, so each boutique’s selection is hand-picked. Our current summer stock includes women’s cotton t-shirts, basic linen blouses, and tencel/linen blend pants in an array of fresh colors like tarragon, grapemist, and chili. Fall will see a brand-new fabric hitting the shelves, so check back in the coming months for stock updates and photos!

Fair-Trade and Made in USA

“Made in USA” and “Fair Trade” labels have been lauded as the way to be more conscientious consumers over the last decade, both internationally and locally. Here at By Hand, we strive to stock merchandise with both labels because we believe consumer dollars should have a positive impact on all people in the production process, and not just a company’s bottom line.

For those of you who have heard these words but aren’t sure what they mean, here are some definitions!

No universally accepted definition of “Fair Trade” exists, but FINE*, an informal association of four international Fair Trade organizations, defines it as “a trading partnership [… that] contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers - especially in the South.”

“Made in USA” essentially means what it says and is a label regulated by the Federal Trade Commission. The label is broadly defined as “all significant parts and processing that go into the product must be of U.S. origin.” All clothing must have a label sewn in which indicates the country of origin.

We’ll be profiling some of our major labels in the coming months to give you the story behind the merchandise. In the meantime, check out a few of the Made in USA and Fair Trade labels we carry in-store. If you have questions about stock, give us a call at 510-526-3212!

Made in USA

Women

Chalet – cotton and rayon travel-friendly pieces

Click – print t-shirts, print and solid blouses, relaxed-fit bottoms

Cut Loose – casual blouses and pants, striped and solid t-shirts

Elliot Lauren – business dress pieces

Loco Lindo – rayon crepe button-up blouses

Miracle Body – stretch jeans and casual tops

Salaam – printed knit tops

Men

Agave – luxury knit tees and polos made of Supima cotton, grown in USA

Click – casual shirts (a new direction for Click)

Remo Tulliani - socks

Fair Trade

Scarves

Marquet Fair Trade – 100% cotton scarves hand-crafted by collectives in Vietnam and Thailand

Woven Promises – high quality cotton and silk hand crafted scarves from Ethiopia

Jewelry

Aid Through Trade – roll-on beaded bracelets and beaded necklaces made in Nepal

Bead for Life – recycled paper earrings and necklaces handmade in Uganda

Encanto – Tagua seed earrings and necklaces

Nuna – Tagua seed earrings and necklaces

… plus lots of jewelry made in Berkeley by local designers!

*F = Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO)

  I = International Federation of Alternative Trade (IFAT)

  N = Network of European World Shops (NEWS!)

  E = European Fair Trade Association (EFTA)

Father's Day Sale June 8 - 10

Fathers’ Day Sale!

It’s Father’s Day, 1976. Looking for something decidedly original, you stop in the 2-year old By Hand on Walnut Street looking for a gift without the aura of mass production. A magnificent shirt catches your eye – a solid-colored cowboy shirt with flowered yokes, piping trim, and pearlescent snaps down the front. Bingo!

By Hand has changed since the cowboy shirt’s heyday through the early 80’s, but offering quality menswear with style that says, ‘I’m no corporate schlub*” remains.

Stop by this weekend, June 8-10, for our annual Father’s Day Sale with 20% off all menswear. Our excellent stock of basic tees, long- and short-sleeve casual shirts, relaxed jackets, pants, jeans, hats, socks, belts, and wallets will please any father, father-figure, or menswear lover in your life.

WHAT: Father’s Day 20% off menswear sale

WHEN: Friday June 8 through Sunday, June 10

* Thanks to a customer for this line!

With just over two years at our current location, we’re excited to expand our presence in the digital world to better serve you - our customers. We want to give you information relevant to your apparel and accessory decision-making processes. Check back here every couple weeks for new posts on merchandise offerings, designer stories, events, style ideas and more!

STAY TUNED - Check back next week for an exciting event announcement celebrating all fathers!