This Friday, October 23rd, we debut a new collection of knitwear alongside a block-printed linen shirt. What’s unique about this release, to us at least, is the fact that they were produced on opposite sides of the globe. Until now, almost everything we’ve made has been cut and sewn in San Francisco, CA; our Canada-made fleece was the only exception. These two products represent opportunities for us to expand our collection with expert manufacturers both near and far.

The Long Sleeve Open Collar Shirt is a new style from us - it’s a long-sleeved version of our perennial favorite Vacation Shirt that we produce every SS season. We added split hem detailing but preserved the overall boxier cut of the shirt as it’s meant to be worn a bit roomy. On the back, you’ll find a printed design inspired by the work of abstract artist Agnes Martin. This design was carved out of a block of wood and hand-printed onto the back of the shirt using charcoal-colored inks that pay homage to Martin’s fine-line pencil drawings. The linen itself is woven in India and has a beautiful soft hand to it, especially after the garment wash that it’s been given. We’ve said this before, but it bears repeating: over time, linen ages in its own way as it’s worn heavily and like the denim we make season in and season out, this is something that will look even better with age. This shirt, like the Cody Hudson Leisure Shirt we released earlier this summer, was made ethically and responsibly in Jaipur, India. We’ve been blown away by the capabilities of this manufacturing house and will be growing our offerings with them; more on that in the coming weeks.

By contrast, the sweaters we are launching were knit just 5 miles away from our NY headquarters in Queens, NY. We were blown away to find out that production opportunities like these were still available in our city, and felt it was important to work with a local manufacturer to learn more about the process behind creating a brand new product category for us. They’ve been invaluable in terms of teaching us about crafting beautiful knitwear and the work that goes into it; as a small team of under 10 employees, everything happens under one roof from sampling, wash/shrink testing, to production and finishing. The panels are knit on Stoll machines using 100% cotton yarns that we imported from Italy, washed to remove shrinkage, and then hand-linked together to complete the garment. We produced both Crewneck sweaters and Crewneck Cardigans in this initial run; the cardigans feature corozo buttons that were dyed to color-match the yarns used. Raglan sleeve construction and ribbed cuffs and hems tie together a sweater that will insulate well as a layering piece in the colder months ahead, but will perform equally well as a breathable outer layer on a warm evening in the summertime.

Both sweater styles and the LS Open Collar Shirt release this Friday, October 23rd exclusively on 3sixteen.com and via our NY and LA flagship stores.