AMISH CAP
Old and new USA meet in one hat
Straw crow manufactured by Stoltzfus family in Pennsylvania.
The bill manufactured by Winner Caps in Brooklyn, New York, USA
Material: Straw, cotton, linen
Designed by COMPANY / Johan Olin
Price: 120,00 EUR
SECRETS OF USA
We set on a tour around eastern USA. We visited the Amish communities in Pennsylvania and also traditional makers in Massachusetts and Maine. The traditional manufacturing was very linked with religion. In many places, religion was the engine for hard work. The means of manufacturing had been unchanged for over a hundred years as our means of communication with the makers. Posting and receiving letters overseas was both great and lenghty adventure that will continue for a long time.
The project was first shown at Storefront for Art and Archotecture in COMPANYs solo exhibition ’Temple of Manufacturing’ in summer 2017.
Visiting Stolzfuz family of straw hat makers. Aamu holding our first sample ofthe Amish Cap.
The Amish wish not to be photographed and so we have only pictures without the makers. All Amish are first and foremost farmers. They manufacture other goods during winter season.
From hat maker Mr. Stolzfus we ordered straw hats without brims. The Amish do not use electricity and so our communication was done by sending and receiving (paper)letters. We then took the straw crowns to a Brooklyn based baseball cap manufacturer and combined the straw crowns with baseball cap bills and created our new Amish Caps.
Making bills at Winner Caps, Brooklyn NYC.
Outside an Amish store in Amish country, Pennsylvania. Everything should be able to purchasewith in a horse distance in Amish country. It means there are lots of small makers and stores at close distance. This makes everyone in the community a maker and a seller. Next to each home, there are big or small manufacturers making everyday goods like leather belts, toys, furnitures or special kick bikes all as a family unit.
Amish Country, PA. Drawign by Johan Olin.
Arriving to Lancaster, Pennsylvania.