“It’s mainly clothing and accessories from my brand,” says Kai, who opened the store to create a lifestyle shop, and who carries about 75 percent of his personal, signature lines. In addition to himself, he has one full-time employee. “I have grooming, stationery, shoes, bags, rainwear, home furnishing and womenswear.”

“I design everything under the label,” he continues, adding that his work is made in three New York factories. “The first prototypes, we worked with people in Brooklyn and in Queens. We manufacture them in the garment district.”

When Kai started designing he initially manufactured garments overseas but with unsatisfying results. “I’m very particular about every detail. A lot of things get lost in translation, which is easier when you have a person in front of you. We could wait for a month or two, then find tons of mistakes, and it was too late for us to change. In New York, you just go there and talk about the mistakes.”

The end goal of keeping things close to home is simple. “It’s a lot more flexible when you work with people you can meet as opposed to emails,” says Kai. “The lead time is shorter, and you can do smaller quantities.”

To launch his business, Kai says he did research, talked to friends, hit trade shows and relied on word of mouth. “Vendors came by the shop and we hit it off. We collaborate. It’s a combination.”

Kai D’s connection to Hudson Made was also organic. “I think I just sent them an email and said I liked the product,” says Kai. “I saw them online. I like that they’re made locally. I like their story. I used to work for Nautica; I used to be in a much more corporate environment. Plus, I really like the aesthetic.”

Kai D has a grooming section, and carries Hudson Made’s Beard and Shave soap, Worker’s soap and shaving mugs. “Together, both brands fit well together. They show the grooming category.”

Continuing along the ideal of personalized, vintage America fashion, Kai, like Hudson Made, works within his own boundaries of classic style.

“I draw influences from the military,” says Kai, who grew up in Taiwan and moved to New York as an adult “just to be in New York.”

“The 1920s and ‘30s American character is my aesthetic. Tough, casual; my design philosophy is on the American heritage, which is something that a lot of people can relate to.”

“First and foremost is quality,” he says. “I’m very particular about the timeless quality. I like the utilitarian look, classically inspired. The clothing has to be fitting of the lifestyle of what I call modern-day artisans. The customers are in their own business or they don’t have typical nine-to-five jobs. They want to wear something versatile and comfortable while they are working. And presentable for clients. It’s not too casual, like J. Crew, and it’s not a too dressy, snooty look. When I started my own brand in 2009 I shopped everywhere. I couldn’t find the right clothing; casual dressing that was timeless, not trendy.”

To that end, Kai coined the term “Slow Fashion,” and explains it simply. “It means a more conscious way of consuming. Knowing how the products are made. Knowing the method of how they are made. And not buying things by impulse. Not just discarding things.”

There’s a lull, as he tries to sum up what he believes is the traditional American way of life. “Consume less, buy better and for longer.”

Discover Hudson Made products at Kai D., 230 Grand Street, Brooklyn, NY, 347-765 2204, www.kaidutility.com.

Looking for Hudson Made in your city? Discover our retailers worldwide.

One of the most unique clothing and accessories stores in the city, Cadet’s aim is to recapture the entrepreneurial America of the 1950s and 1960s, honoring classic lines and looks and relying on a work force that is as American as the design.

“We are completely vertical, we do everything ourselves,” says Schmidt, who’s been running the company with his partner, Raul Arevalo, for a little over two years. Heck, the guys even live in Brooklyn. “Pattern, production, we do all the pieces, which is highly unusual. We don’t send it overseas to have it produced. We have a studio/factory space [in Brooklyn] and a bunch of sewing machines and rolls of fabrics.”

Lest you think Schmidt is just a guy who digs sewing and thought, “what the hell,” his resume is a who’s “hue” of fashion. Starting at Abercrombie & Fitch, he went on to design for Target, Nordstrom, American Eagle, and Club Monaco, among others. Recently, he worked with Sarah Jessica Parker to help her develop her clothing line.

Cadet owns three stores, two of which are in Manhattan, the third in… do I really have to tell you? And their products are inspired by the look of the post World War II-military academy era, a period of time often romanticized and never out of style. Browsing through their clothing line I am half-tempted to salute or venture out on my yacht. Blazers, shorts, sweat shirts, outerwear, all in hues that are calm and soft-spoken. “Everything in our store has crossed by our hands at some point,” adds Schmidt, on the personal touch.

“Our signature item is the vintage air force pant. We modernized the fit, woven pant with cuffed bottom, a bridge fly that snaps at the top and has an angel. It’s an aviator pant.

“We approach design from a technical perspective. We know what construction of garments is possible or what just doesn’t make sense. We are able to add construction details that are unique to our brand but also adhere to a military academy aesthetic.”

Cadet has ten people working at their stores, and five more in the factory. “We work with other local designers to make their patterns. Most of the contacts we make are word-of-mouth and some of the work comes from contacts in the industry.”

This year, they introduced their first third-party product, Hudson Made’s Beard & Shave Soap. “Part of our mission is to develop our own line, but we needed to have third parties that have a local, unique element to them,” says Schmidt. “We didn’t want to carry something that everyone else has.”

As for the new product, “I liked that it was a soap and a shave. You can use it as body soap as well. It’s the fragrance, it’s the packaging.”

Cadet is among a growing trend of retailers who are committed to partnering with like-minded small businesses. While some may set geographical boundaries for the items featured in their stores, others are searching globally for like-minded entrepreneurs who are committed to responsible business practices and high-quality products. Hudson Made is crossing borders and is now available in nine states and eight countries worldwide.

But after a shopping spree at Cadet’s 14th Street location, all of a sudden I’m feeling the need to watch fireworks and eat hot dogs. Right after a nice soap and shave.

Beard And Shave Soap Trio	Joshua Vela Navy Waxed Duffle	Hudson Made Bandana