The second release of our Sonoran collection is the Gila Knit Top, made of 100% cotton yarns and hand-knit by female artisans in Southern India.

The Gila owes its name to the Gila Monster, a venomous lizard native to the American Southwest. It has an incredible abstract pattern on its skin, with a unique waved separation of orange and black upon its back.

Knitted cotton yarns are comfy yet keep the top lightweight and breathable - perfect for a summer's day. The yarns are mercerized, meaning they're stronger than traditional cotton and have a luxurious sheen.

For development and manufacturing, we partnered with KOCO: Knit One Change One, an all-female collective based in the rural area of Tamil Nadu.

Hand-knitting is very time consuming: on average it takes one of the artisans 17 hours to knit each top. Each piece is slightly unique to the other, lending a warmth and human touch that cannot be replicated with machine knitting.

KOCO aims to promote gender equality and financial independence for women and their families. They offer not only full-time employment for women, but also education in English and mathematics.

We strongly believe the fashion industry has the power and resources to end poverty and inequality within its supply chains. Initiatives like KOCO show that it is possible to use employment in the garment industry as a means to lift communities out of poverty, not keep them there.

Note that the cotton yarns used are conventional - we intend to switch to 100% organic cotton for future collections.

You can purchase this limited run item here.