“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.

Konrad von Limpurg as a knight being armed by his lady in the Codex Manesse, courtesy of Wikipedia

Originating as idealistic code of conduct during the Middle Ages, thuggish warriors in the north of France were developed into refined knights in shining armor. The desired outcome exemplified virtues of gallant honor, courtly love and courtesy. Acquiring the strength and skills to protect the weak and defenseless wasn’t such a bad idea, either. This chivalrous code of conduct later inspired writers, artists, and philosophers to be quicker with their word than the sword. Noble gestures from speaking respectfully to exercising common generosity set the standard for mannerisms beyond the knight’s initial code of protection. My how things have changed. If the Knights of the Round Table sat across from us today, they’d likely chop off our fingers for allowing smart-devices to distract us during a meal.

George Hahn, founder and editor of the men’s lifestyle site George Hahn.com, is dedicated to keeping up your style without breaking the bank. As a keen observer on today’s style and etiquette, he shares, “I was born in the 70s where middle class wages weren’t going anywhere and mothers began going to work in order to help contribute. Certain things like learning to shave, do laundry etc. more or less fell away because both mom and dad were not home. I would hypothesize that chivalry sort of fell away at that time for my generation.”

Photo courtesy of Tumblr

In the southern part of the country is Texas native Chris Brown, founder and curator of Refueled Magazine, a lifestyle brand devoted to American heritage, community and craftsmanship. Brown feels southern hospitality is still alive and well, stating, “As a Southerner, I believe chivalry is still very present. Women deserve to be loved and treated well, but then again, I’m sort of old fashioned. I don’t feel it’s changed too much over the years—it’s a courteous gesture to anyone, really.”

Left: George Hahn of georgehahn.com, Right: Chris Brown of Refueled Magazine

Although chivalry’s presence may be spotty, one’s location may play an important factor in both action and reaction to classic gestures of good will.

“Living in Manhattan where some people can be a bit self absorbed, ‘or too busy,’ I’ve occasionally noticed poor behavior like not holding the door for someone or pulling the chair out—or even moving out of the way in a crowded elevator to let someone out,” says Hahn. “We tend to lean on our smart-phone devices too heavily and can be lazy in regards to courting someone. With the social/dating apps available today, people seem to have forgotten how to flirt—a wink or poke doesn’t count.”

Along with a blurred behavioral code of conduct, personal courtesies such as grooming habits follow suit. To shave or not to shave is up to the individual, (though one’s significant other’s opinion could weigh in). Either way, Askmen.com says, “As long as there are clear distinguishing lines between key follicular patches (read: beard to chest), you’re good.”

Scents can also play an intricate role in pursuing (or keeping) a mate. Hahn states, “To be blunt, don’t wreak!  Whether it’s body order or exercising restraint in cologne and fragrances.  No one two feet away from you should be able to smell you.”

If you struggle with the two-spray minimum, there are other options for grooming scents and techniques found favorable for the laws of attraction. Using products that contain essential oils, known for calming, relaxing and even evoking nostalgia in one another have been known to spark and keep our mates attention. Brown admits, “I have a full beard, and with that comes a certain responsibility not only to yourself, but to others—especially your wife or partner. I maintain my beard with products that happen to have ingredients such as cedar, almond oil, grape seed and pine needle. My wife loves to snuggle up in it; but I believe that’s because the scent not only reminds her of her favorite forest, but using proper beard products keep it soft.”

Photo courtesy of Ancestry.com

There’s no question that chivalry’s existence today is subjective, but ultimately has taken on a different form. In order to keep today’s interpretation fluent, Brown admits he’d like to see men get creative within their environment, “my hope is men will continue to open that door, pull out the chair, but also do something like plant your significant other an herb garden or cook a great meal.”

Along with creativity, Hahn feels men should not be afraid about putting in the extra effort. He states,” be the guy who takes the time and thought into sending thank you notes. Seeing a handwritten note is so extinct these days… and sending flowers is still a nice gesture. That’s how you should treat people today. It’s worth it because you want to end the day right with yourself.”

Beard And Shave Soap Trio	Jao Brand: Beard Scent	Hudson Made: Walnut Kitchen Board

Typically made from absorbent, finely woven soft linen, tea towels were ideal for drying china, glassware and delicate serving pieces without fear of scratching or leaving a lint residue.

During the Great Depression in the United States, hard-earned cash was needed for necessities like food and shelter. Americans diligently sought to make use of everything. For the housewife, this meant re-using and re-purposing whatever she could find for her family.

Enter the feed or flour sack. The cloth bags that contained animal feed, flours or grains were made from coarse cotton, and while they didn’t look too dainty at first, they were readily available and absorbent. Cut into a suitable size and hemmed, resourceful women would borrow the English style of embroidering the pieces to make them look more feminine and decorative. Industry eventually caught on and sellers would commission artists and designers to spruce up the sacks, thereby increasing sales to keen-eyed women who were just as interested in the sack as what was inside it.

Today, the tea towel has evolved into what most of us call dishtowels and can be found adorning refrigerator and oven door handles in kitchens across America.

By using and re-using a cloth towel, you’re also doing your part to protect the environment.

EllynAnne Geisel, author of The Kitchen Linens Book: Using, Sharing, and Cherishing the Fabrics of Our Daily Lives, credits her mother-in-law with first igniting her interest in kitchen linens.

“More to the point,” she stresses, “it was her daily use of her linens that influenced how I enjoy my own collection.”

“And with my environmental awareness heightened, I’m practicing a less wasteful lifestyle by replacing paper goods with those of vintage cloth.”

According to Care2, a social action network devoted to people who want to lead a sustainable and socially responsible lifestyle, paper accounts for one-third of municipal landfill waste. Replacing paper with cloth wherever we can is, in fact, more eco-friendly. Electric dryers are actually twice as energy-efficient as the manufacture of paper towels, according to the Care2 website. When you take into account the millions of trees used to make napkins and the chemicals used to bleach the pulp, why not use cloth? Even though a cloth dishtowel may go through a similar process, it gets used over and over rather than making a quick trip to the landfill.

Better yet, choose towels that are made with a combination of hemp or linen, both of which are more sustainable then pure cotton. And yes, organic cotton is vastly different from conventional cotton because it won’t contain the same pesticide residue.

Photograph of American grown Organic cotton courtesy of Earth-Ware

For Wrapping: A gorgeous tea towel as giftwrap? Imagine a gift basket of gourmet coffees, biscotti and a French press wrapped tidily in a beautiful towel featuring a 1901 patent sketch of an automatic fountain percolator coffee pot.

For Guests: Printed with creative designs, tea towels can easily find their place in a guest bathroom as an inventive way to showcase your personality or that of your guest. A towel printed with a vintage corkscrew, for example, is a thoughtful way to honor a guest who happens to be a wine enthusiast.

For the Kitchen: Sure, kitchen-themed towels make perfect sense to dry a pot, but consider cleverly designed towels such as a cleaver and knife or a whisk as cloth napkins for your next dinner party.

As a chef, I like anything that has more than one use in the kitchen. Dishtowels are the original multi-purpose wipe, with more beautiful designs available than ever before to turn this kitchen workhorse into a bonafide linen you’ll be proud to use.

Scullery Soap	The Tea Towel Set	Hudson Made Bandana

Laura Grimmer is a professional cook and sommelier who lives to eat, drink and provide sustenance. She came late to the culinary world, selling her PR firm and enrolling at the French Culinary Institute because of a borderline fixation on master chef Jacques Pépin. She left cooking school a classically trained chef with a deeply seated appreciation for tradition in the kitchen. http://www.perfectpairnyc.com

When I was growing up I was mostly left to my own devices and identifying what I thought was ‘cool,’” says Michael Gilman, grooming advice expert and president of The Grooming Lounge. “I don’t even remember where I learned to shave—in fact, it wasn’t until we started The Grooming Lounge site and stores that I gained insight to shaving properly and eliminate shaving irritation.”

Sharing another experience on his grooming upbringing is Marke Bieschke, a culture journalist and publisher of the San Francisco Bay Guardian. “My father took inordinate pride in his appearance. I have super Norman Rockwell memories of him teaching me how to shave and the smells of his shaving cream and cologne,” Bieschke recalls. “Though I also have to credit my mother for introducing me to hair gel, mousse, and even several makeup techniques. I was allowed to indulge a lot in grooming experimentation, as long as I looked coherent in the end.”

Queens County, New York, circa 1915. “Shaving at Broad Channel.” Courtesy of Shorpy.

Often we forget the life lessons taught to us in elementary school. But Tim Kreider, cartoonist and contributor for The New York Times recollects his fifth-grade teacher gave a shaving lesson in class, “ostensibly as part of a speech unit, but it was also something he knew we prepubescent males would soon have to learn. It was a while before I would need the information, though, so by the time I needed to shave I’d pretty much forgotten his pointers.” Whether grooming styles and traits stem from the home or a crash course in elementary school, greater awareness has evolved with today’s modern man. Gilman notes, “it’s starting much earlier over the past 20 years, and I think the reason lies in increased acceptance (it’s become less taboo) along with the amplified showcasing in the media and movies. The coverage has set some ‘style goals’ for males.” However, it seems breaking down the barriers for guys to feel comfortable sharing tips and techniques is still not quite up to speed with today’s abundance of well-coiffed marketing. “Aside from the occasional ‘cool haircut’ or ‘I like the beard,’ it’s just not conversations men have openly unless it’s within the proper confines with experts in the field. They tend to chat more freely on the topic online or with their barber,” says Gilman.

Stuart Schuffman, known as Broke-Ass Stuart for his guides to living cheaply in San Francisco and New York City and host/co-creator of Young, Broke & Beautiful on the IFC network, shares, “I occasionally have grooming tip conversations amongst friends here and there, especially my gay friends, but it’s not that common. I think part of that is because some straight men have a much lower barrier in terms of how groomed they have to be to land an attractive woman.”

It also seems possible with the assortment of innovative and multifunctional grooming products available today; it could spark more conversations between males to share techniques. “I think there was a genuine flare-up of information exchanging when artisan beard oils and products became increasingly popular,” says Bieschke. “I’ve been a beard guy for about 20 years now, and it was a relief to suddenly have new options on the market. When my beard network lit up with all these product recommendations, it somehow felt more like a community, or even better—groommunity?”

Some men may feel like Kreider, who sums up grooming rituals up to a much more carefree ‘you get what you give’ mantra: “Men should probably try to think of grooming/clothing as like sports: like any other game, it’s composed of completely arbitrary, made-up rules, the first and most basic of which is that the game matters, which you just have to accept and believe if you care about winning it. On the other hand, the only way not to turn into a sore winner/loser about it is to keep in the back of your mind, as a sort of ballast, the knowledge that it’s trivial and not important at all.”

Photo Courtesy of the Library of Congress Photo Archive

If I ever felt swindled about missing out on grooming tips in my youth, I can make up for it now with the abundance of information available now through social media and sites like The Art of Manliness. As we graduate from Shaving 101, to mastering degrees in grey hair (or loss thereof), my panel of experts has carefully curated a few rules of thumb every guy should know:

• “Don’t clean your face with the same bar of soap you just cleaned your rear end with. Also, bald is always better than balding. If your hair is 90% gone, just take it all off.”—Michael Gilman, The Grooming Lounge
• “Don’t try too hard. You want to have a look—not A LOOK.”—Marke Bieschke, The San Francisco Guardian
• “Pay attention to what the gay guys are doing. Whatever they are rocking now will be what the hip straight guys are rocking in two years.”—Broke Ass Stuart
• “Just brush your teeth, shave every day and quit worrying about a lot of complicated expensive extremities (let alone body-building, hair-replacement, and penis-enlargement scams).”—Tim Kreider, The New York Times

From self-taught survivors, to those who’ve received wisdom passed down from tradition, we’ve all earned a badge of honor in taking care of ourselves as we see fit. It’s something that will always tie us together, whether you willingly participate in the ‘groomunity’ or not.

Looking to amp up your grooming ritual? Visit Hudson Made’s grooming collection.
 

The Beard Shave Soap Trio	The Well Worn Traveler	Workers Soap

Dale Pimentel is a fashion copywriter at Levi.com, and a residing native of San Francisco. He grew up as a hip-hop/backup dancer, with a degree in SF nightlife, and has more sneakers than one could fit in a NY-sized studio.

During the Revolutionary War, the British Navy cracked down on the thriving ports located on the northeast coast, virtually shutting them down by attacking and destroying whaling and shipping fleets. For their business to survive, many merchants relocated to Canada or France and some even returned to England, choosing commerce over the Constitution. A group of sea-faring Quakers from Nantucket and Providence got together and decided to look for a safer place to set up shop closer by. Enter Claverack Landing, a tiny Dutch settlement founded in 1783 on the Hudson River. At the time, Claverack was equipped with two deep bays, land suitable for a port and nearby farmland. The group, calling themselves The Proprietors, bought up huge areas of land and drew up a grid for the town they would rename Hudson in honor of the river and its first western explorer, Henry Hudson who sailed the Halve Maen upriver in 1609.

The city of Hudson was one of America’s first planned cities… they built it and they did come. Ship-builders, sail- and rope- makers, and a host of other shipping related businesses sprung up and soon populated the meticulously drawn out streets. The whaling fleets grew and by 1790 the population hit 2,500. By 1820 it had doubled again. When kerosene replaced whale oil and trains replaced ships, Hudson fell into decline. The last whaling ship sailed from Hudson in 1840, but soon enough trade by railroad brought new businesses to Hudson; tanneries, brickyards, ironworks, cotton mills and breweries flourished. The 1920s and ‘30s saw a rise in gambling and bootlegging and St. Agatha (a statue of the patron saint of virgins looks down the Hudson from its perch on Parade Hill) notwithstanding, Hudson became known for its red light district. A state police crackdown in 1950 brought that underworld economy to an end and the city of Hudson entered another period of neglect and decline.

Throughout all the commercial boom and bust of the past two centuries, Hudson, continued to line its streets with a succession of American architectural styles from the New England Federal style the Quakers brought with them, to Greek and Gothic Revivals, Queen Anne, Colonial Revival and Jacobean. For this reason, Hudson is known as a “dictionary of American architectural styles.” A silver lining to the decades Hudson was under-appreciated. In the first decades of the 21st century, Hudson is proving its resilience with yet another economic revival. The main business thoroughfare, Warren Street, stretches two miles from the riverside promenade to Prospect Avenue and is now lined with an eclectic selection of galleries, antique shops, bookstores, restaurants and music venues. On nearby streets, 19th century hotels have been restored, factories have been converted into performance spaces and former blacksmith shops into restaurants featuring seasonal regional cuisine.

Visiting Hudson today you could close your eyes and forget you are in the middle of a mostly rural county; the city captures the thriving urban feel of a hundred years ago. True to its origins as a busy port trading in both locally made and exotic goods, you can shop the farmers market for fresh ginger stalks and Osage oranges, curried sauerkraut and hand cut potato chips, and honey from nearby apiaries. Or you can visit a nearby shop and buy teas imported from China or luxurious fabrics printed in India. There is a wonderful blend of preserving the past, honoring old traditions in new ways, and innovation born of respect for history and Hudson’s beautiful natural surroundings.

No one understands this better than Tim Dunleavy, storeowner and the founding president of the preservation society, Historic Hudson, which has been instrumental in leading the quest to preserve many of Hudson’s architectural gems. Dunleavy notes that part of what saved Hudson was that it was relatively untouched by the economic “development” of the 1970s. Dunleavy first visited Hudson in 1990 and was surprised to find a fairly intact 19th century city with an impressive abundance of architectural styles. At the time, most of the shops along Warren Street were boarded up. “The storefronts that weren’t empty had been rented or purchased by antique dealers.” Dunleavy recognized this as a sign of nascent economic revitalization. “A similar thing happened in Connecticut in the 1970s when so many antique dealers opened businesses on Route 7.”

Dunleavy opened Rural Residence in 1999. The store is filled with a beautifully curated selection of antiques, art books, linens, toiletries and decorative items; “anything that I have an emotional response to that has a dash of historicism or sense of time,” says Dunleavy. In addition to its interesting architecture, Dunleavy thinks Hudson’s intimate size and walkability have been a big draw. “It feels like a convergence center for the creative class and like-minded people,” he says. “There are 35 new businesses that have opened this year in Hudson. The new hipster migration from Brooklyn has given the city a new youthful energy and appearance.”

Store front of the Rural Residence in Hudson, NY

On their brand new website, Rural Residence draws inspiration from the valley, acknowledging that the Hudson was a river that shaped a nation and “pollinated [it] with a never-before-seen hybrid of nature, cultivated beauty and democratic ideals.” The city of Hudson, can most certainly be seen as a jewel in that crown.

Rather than taking their business elsewhere, two hundred years ago a small group of merchants decided to stay in their young country and seek out a place to build a peaceful and thriving city. I like to think of them surveying the land and envisioning a community of builders, farmers, bakers and craftspeople all taking pride in their work and engaged in the wonderful business of life.  I like to think that if they visited Hudson today, they would be proud.

Experience Hudson:

• Musica — a community music shop.
• Fern — handcrafted furniture.
• Look — apparel and accessories.
• Discipline Park — hand picked designer clothes and vintage.
• Gris — antiques and interior design.
• Hudson City Books — used and rare bookstore.

Taste Hudson:

• Fish and Game — weekly changing menu located in a converted historic blacksmith shop.
• Grazin’ — farm-to-table diner.
• Swoon Kitchenbar — brasserie.
• Verdigris Tea — tea and chocolate bar.

Creative Hudson:

• Basilica — reclaimed 19^th century factory converted into an art, performance, production and event space.
• The Spotty Dog — independent bookstore and lounge/café.
• Helsinki Hudson — Two performance spaces, a full service restaurant, a gallery space and outdoor dining.

Bring a bit of the Hudson Valley into your home with these locally made products:

Tea Towel Set	Scullery Soap	Black Patriot Head

Photo Credit: Lisa Kelsey 

Lisa Kelsey is a Dutchess County, NY-based art director. Her radio shows “Stirring the Pot” on home cooking, and “Spice: The Final Frontier” on herbs and spices, can be heard on Pawling Public radio. pawlingpublicradio.org

Source: The Orchid Boutique

If what you wear says volumes about you, then how you port it ‘on the go’ can make an equally strong statement. A trunk is a large, structured heavy duty piece meant for the largest of hauls. Many luxury fashion companies made names for themselves crafting trunks for luxury travel. Louis Vuitton started in 1854 and by the end of the 1800s its signature check and LV monogram prints had been born to stave off imitators. While Goyard, started in 1792, is the oldest of the great Parisian trunk makers and still crafts customized luggage for the French elite. When ships were the main form of transportation, trunks were the obvious way to go.

A duffel bag, named after Duffel, Belgium where the particular canvas originally used originated, is a barrel-shaped bag with shoulder straps. It is still usually made of canvas (or sometimes nylon) for ease of care and transport in any weather. Duffels took off in 1950s surfer sub-culture, even taking on a certain “in-the-know” status symbol. Now ubiquitous, every man should at least once in his life toss a few things in a duffel for a quick, impromptu escape. The carefully curated options available on Hudson Made (from San Francisco-based Joshu+Vela) make a great grab and go.

If your travel plans necessitate more than toiletries and a quick change of clothes, a weekender is the perfect choice. Named for the amount of stuff you can carry in its small frame, the weekender is a more structured option for a weekend away. For an even more substantial option, a traditional suitcase is the most popular choice for its ideal build and convenience. Modern designs feature perks such as dividers, expansion panels and wheels. Gracie Opulanza, co-founder of online magazine Men Style Fashion, offers up one other option you may not think of: “Foldable bags are the way forward for maximum storage. I always find you end up buying another bag whilst travelling hence your foldable one can be stored away.” Now that’s packing smart.

Once you’ve committed to your luggage of choice (as well as a travel companion) what do you put in it? The key is versatility. Pack a wardrobe of easy T-shirts, sweaters and pants that can all work double duty and be layered. And never underestimate the need for a light jacket to pull it all together and weather the elements. I’m also a big fan of setting a clothing color story ahead of time. Pick up to three colors to add to black or khaki basics and weave a story with your wardrobe. Nothing is sharper, for instance, than a navy, brown and white vacation wardrobe. But how do you narrow down the selections from your closet?

Your best bet according to Australian GQ: “Be selective. Get together all the clothes you anticipate you’ll need for your trip and lay them out. Then put half of them back.” That’s a new riff on Coco Chanel’s famous ‘take one thing off’ rule. And when it comes to shoes, Travel + Leisure also believes in a less is more mentality: “Shoes are one of the heavier items you will have in your bag so give lots of thought to taking too many. Choose a pair that can be worn in a variety of situations. Along with the one you are wearing, you’ll have enough.” Finally, pack a stylish hat, as Men Style Fashion reminds us “a hat is a great way to cover the scruffy look once you’ve landed.” That’s using your head!

“The Art of Packing” from Louis Vuitton

But it’s not just clothes that make the well traveled man. You’ll need a collection of toiletries to keep yourself looking your best on the go. In fact, traveling comes with its own set of skin issues you’ll need to consider. Flying, for instance is extra hard on your skin with the drying cabin air. Make sure travel lotions are extra moisturizing. Australian GQ also suggests double-bagging your liquids in a TSA-approved plastic baggie inside your kit. “Put any liquids—moisturizer, sunscreen and the like—in plastic zip-lock bags to avoid them leaking through the rest of your luggage. Then place your toiletries bag at the top of your case to avoid putting extra pressure on it during the flight.”

And while most tech-savvy travelers may find themselves burrowed in their smartphones, consider bringing a notebook instead. I jot down stores, restaurants and bars I particularly like and meal ideas I will foolishly try to recreate later. I also allow myself to do the kind of free flow writing I never have the time to do in my everyday life.

And while a notebook is nice, don’t forget the last minute essentials: charging cords, power adaptors for foreign countries, passport and, of course, toothbrush. Slip them in and then slip off to your fantasy destination.

Once you’ve picked a bag and packed it with your get-out-of-town outfits and necessities, well, you’re ready to be that well-traveled man on the go. After all, a great piece of luggage is just the first step in a long lifetime love affair for travel. My vintage luggage collection is part of the romance of my world travels, this great marriage of man and his wanderlust. Every time I see one of those suitcases I think of where I’ve been and the world I have yet to explore and I’m ready to fall in love all over again. Bon voyage.

Black XL Boat Tote	Canvas Leather Dopp Kit	Navy Waxed Canvas Leather duffle

Mac Smith is a New York City based fashion writer who has never met a cat, coat or cake he didn’t love. itcantallbedior.blogspot.com twitter: @itcantallbedior

For Jonathan Simmons of Jonathan’s Spoons, running a cottage industry that creates and sells handcrafted, natural wood products is more than business. It’s an extension of his personal philosophy, which prizes independence and fair trade over all.

“It means I am free to do what I want,” said Simmons, 58, “but it’s more than that. It’s being free to take my ideas and make them into something. My mission is to take at least some of the ideas and bring them into the physical world. Ideas are spiritual things. They rain down upon us and it’s up to us to do something with them.”

If the emphasis on spirituality in a capitalist context seems odd, Simmons is comfortable with the incongruity; his father was a pastor in the Swedenborg Church who would remind his children that life is best enjoyed when utilizing the bounty of nature in a meaningful way while acknowledging the greater power that provides it.

Jonathan Simmons – Photo credit: Arts Business Institute.

“It’s very satisfying to have things out of my imagination be created in the physical world,” Simmons added.

The pastor’s son was serving as an apprentice to a furniture maker in the mid-70s when he created his first wooden spoon, a matter of necessity because he had forgotten to pack a spoon in his bag lunch that day.

It would be a few years later, while casting about for ideas for his own business in Maine that Simmons flashed back on that simple moment of invention. By 1979, Jonathan’s Spoons was a bona fide business based in Kempton, Pennsylvania, where native hardwood is plentiful.

“At my first national craft show,” Simmons recalls on his website, “I underpriced my spoons and sold out my years’ production in the first hour of the show.”

Originally, Simmons crafted his spoons from lilac, plum, and honeysuckle woods. However, he found cherry wood to be best suited for its durability, color and grain. Soon, his spoon product line had grown to include spatulas, tongs, spaghetti forks and spreaders, rendered in the Arts and Crafts style. He even features spoons for left-handed chefs.

However, it was several years before Simmons and wife Julia agreed to expand their modest operation and hired a friend as the first employee. “I had to accept the role of owner and take ownership of my own business.”

Working conditions at Jonathan’s Spoons reflect the sensibility of the founder.

“People work better with more freedom,” Simmons said. “I want the people who are doing the work of making the spoons to enjoy it. I have no intention to use slave labor, as it seems most companies are doing. Freedom is just very important to me. My employees are free to come and go, as they want; we have a very open schedule.”

Moreover, employees are free to earn more or less according to their efforts based on a piece rate system. “I treat them as if they are operating their own mini business within mine.”

Of course, all hands must be on deck in the early fall to fulfill Christmas orders. Directly after the holidays, the workshop is again at full tilt, creating inventory for the wholesale season and trade shows.

Seven years ago, Jonathan’s Spoons faced its first full-on crisis: a former employee launched a line of knock-off spoons. While Simmons initially tried to stop the competitor, he decided to withdraw from the battle.  Good fortune, he said, unexpectedly intervened; kitchen guru Rachael Ray gushed over Jonathan’s “Original Lazy Spoon” on a televised segment and sales doubled overnight.

“It was a karmic thing to let go of a fight,” Simmons said, “and wonder what was going to happen in a tough economy and then have it turn around so amazingly. It was a lasting effect; it was beyond a flash in the pan.”

Additional products join the line thanks to equal parts instinct and whim, not due to extensive focus group research. Simmons has created wooden boxes. One of his five children suggested hand tooled stands for iPhones and iPads. Simmons is currently weighing the feasibility of a line of furniture, crafted for assembly without glue. His latest brainchild is a pen spoon “that you can write with – and eat your yogurt. Not sure whether it will fly but it’s something I have always wanted.”

Prone to understatement in his work, Simmons doesn’t emphasize that he only uses wood harvested through sustainable practices.

“We utilize as much of the wood as we can. But I don’t talk about it a whole lot with [customers]. I haven’t hyped that. I don’t feel I’m very good at hyping stuff. I’m just trying to make an honest product.”

Feeling inspired to get in the kitchen yourself? Check out our exclusive collections from Hudson Made, featuring one-of-a-kind items paired with some of our most popular kitchen products:

Flame-Blackened Wide Ladel	Jonathan’s Spoons Set	The Deluxe Kitchen Set

Jay Blotcher, a longtime writer for magazines, relocated from New York City to the Hudson Valley in 2001. He is currently at work on Holding On, a new musical about Harlem life in the 1960s with composer Neil Klein. www.holdingonthemusical.com

Recently we were invited to Brooklyn Grooming’s Bushwick studio/laboratory where Mckenzie chatted with us about her processes. What we learned is they source each of their ingredients from a certified organic farm in Oregon where, she says, “they have the highest quality of oils, butters and waxes that I’ve ever used.”

Here in Brooklyn, Mckenzie combines those components to create a wonderful collection including facial serum, pre-shave oil, beard oil, mustache wax and even a tattoo balm.

Hudson Made is thrilled to bring you Brooklyn Grooming’s entire line of products in two scents:

Fort Greene is “modern and timeless.” Named for the northwest Brooklyn neighborhood, it pays homage to the area’s rich musical history. With its invigorating aromas of juniper and rosemary pleasantly balanced by soft lavender and bergamot, you can use this scent to channel your inner playboy.

Red Hook is an “uplifting” nod to that area’s navy yard, cruise terminals and industrial history that also reflects the passion of the south Brooklyn neighborhood’s burgeoning artist community. Scented with West Indies bay rum and spiced with intensely aromatic cardamom, it is for the thrill-seeking swashbuckler in all of us.

With their products packaged in old-fangled medicine dropper bottles and vintage-style pomade tins, Brooklyn Grooming’s apothecary aesthetic recalls classic elegance and suggests a time when quality was grander than quantity, when artistry and excellence were paramount. That level of quality and care extends beyond just a visual motif, as Mckenzie whips up each batch by hand, ensuring that precision and artistry are steeped into every item they sell.

She gave us the rundown of her secret recipes and let us sample each of her treasures:

The Gentlemen’s Facial Serum is one that Mckenzie actually uses herself. It is a highly nutritive and reparative blend of plant and tree oils (including pumpkin seed and kukui nut) that acts as a moisture balancer for all skin types.

The Classic Shave Oil combines avocado, sesame and castor oils along with vitamin E to create an alternative to chemical foams and shave creams. The resulting emollient, based on a classic recipe, naturally lubricates the hair allowing for a burn-free, smooth shave that is soothing to the skin.

Organic sesame and hempseed oils provide the foundation for the Classic Beard Oil which adds moisture and fragrance to beards of any size. And by introducing moisture to the follicle, it can stimulate beard growth. (We’ve been using it ever since our visit, and the beard really is growing noticeably faster.)

The Mustache Wax puts an all-natural spin on the classic goop used to give shape, hold and pliancy to the whiskers. Thicker and denser than any ‘stache wax we’ve tried before, this blend of shea butter, castor oil and beeswax will add panache without the feeling you’ve glued the hair in place.

Finally the Tattoo Balm, which is unscented, is a calming salve created especially for inked skin using shea butter, vitamin E and hempseed oil. If you have tattoos old or new, you can use this as a healthy alternative to everyday petroleum-based ointments.

The idea that “what’s old is new again” is one that really speaks to us at Hudson Made. We recognize that old wisdom, craftsmanship and ingenuity are key ingredients in quality. And because Brooklyn Grooming represents our philosophy of locally-based artisanship, we welcome them to the family and congratulate them as December’s Artisan of the Month!

Sloan Rollins is a freelance writer who contributes regularly to Hudson Made’s ecommerce site. His work has been seen in Time Out New York, and he is a music and theater critic for edgeonthenet.com. sloanrollins.com

Letterpress printing is all about taking the time and effort to achieve something unique and handmade, without taking any of the shortcuts that modernity technology allows. The technique enjoyed its heyday from the 15th-19th centuries but has made a recent comeback, with trends in small business efforts to put manufacturing back into America and its localized economies—just one of the many reasons why we at Hudson Made are so taken with it.

“The letterpress process involves rolling a small amount of ink onto the raised surface of a plate featuring a design and then pressing the raised design onto a piece of paper, resulting in a rich de-bossed impression. Each card is fed into the press one piece at a time and one color at a time. It is a slow but rewarding process and the attention to detail and labor-intensive process generates truly one-of-a-kind stationery and paper goods,” says Breck.

Photo by Alejandra Russi.

Armed with a fine arts background and an 1885 Golding Jobber, Breck began her business in 1999, taking only a few years to turn it into a full-time project. The aesthetic is “heavily influenced by the Victorian era in which the machines first began printing.” Breck added, “I love the detailed etchings of 19th Century advertising cuts and beautiful botanical and animal illustrations. I share the Victorians’ fascination with nature, etiquette, taxidermy and other curiosities.” Children’s books and their “illustrations, colors and imaginative stories” have also inspired Breck. Vintage imagery with bright colors and clean, simple design gives Sesame a look and feel that is completely their own.

Photo by Alejandra Russi.

Though Sesame’s business has flourished, they haven’t forgotten about the importance of local raw goods. They source all materials locally: their main supply of paper from the Gowanus area of Brooklyn, their bookbinding done in Williamsburg, a family-owned business in Long Island City for their packaging.

Photo by Alejandra Russi.

Sesame is firmly rooted in Dumbo, but Breck also enjoys the many great destinations in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, the area she calls home when not in the studio. Some favorites include Pokpok, Frankies, Prime Meats and The Good Fork.  For stores she loves Bird, Power House Books, Pomme and John Derian. Check out these spots, and of course Sesame, next time you’re in Brooklyn.

Visit www.sesameletterpress.com for more information.

Jonathan Simons handcrafted this ladle with care in Pennsylvania with sustainably-harvested cherry wood, and then achieved its rich color with a flame-blackening technique. He and his family have been crafting these stunning tools for decades now, and business is booming.

Add a ladle, and our other flame-blackened utensils to your collection, and behold the striking difference that it makes in your kitchen. And if the Halloween spirit has got you feeling particularly spooky, this ladle with look spectacular with a cauldron.