Beauty in context and in use.

Blue Sleeve Gold Sleeve is an art project/recycling center/small business devoted to keeping beautiful things in motion and use. The project's focus is repurposing used textiles into thoughtfully handmade clothing and paper. Its name, Blue Sleeve Gold Sleeve, references the Japanese and Indian textile traditions of boro and zari, respectively. Boro, the practice of reinforcing worn cloth by patching, piecing, and stitching, increases the strength and beauty of an object to prolong its utility. Historically, the textiles used in boro were often woven with indigo-dyed thread, and indigo overdyeing was also used to make textiles insect-repellent. Zari, textile embellishment with thread wrapped in gold or other metals, has a long history in India, and continues to be used widely, especially in the borders of saris. It is common even in garments meant for casual wear, a fact which challenges the assumption that beautiful objects (especially those that are ornate, precious, or rare) are not appropriate for everyday use.
By learning more about the fiber products we use and see in our everyday lives, we become better able to appreciate and care for them. When we appreciate and care for fiber products better, we use them longer and more conscientiously. If we can do these things, we honor and support fiber arts traditions, the labor of other humans, and the source of the fibers themselves, our environment. At Blue Sleeve Gold Sleeve, we use microscopy to analyze the fiber content of all our used textiles so that we–––and you–––can make informed choices about how to use and care for them. We also sell handmade paper. >:)