Maker’s Mark and The Endery have teamed up to re-envision the “ugly Christmas sweater” as the “Patchwork Smash Unisex Sweater.” The sweater comes in three vivid color schemes: Bourbon by the Fire, Whisky Glow, and Gingersnap. Featuring a patchwork of wintry holiday-themed patterns, the Patchwork Smash doesn’t look all that different from a traditional ugly holiday sweater. Rather, the reimagining comes with its sustainability, craftsmanship, and support for the artisans responsible.
First, per the press release, the sweaters are all handcrafted of scraps of alpaca wool and Pima cotton leftover from other projects. In other words, these holiday sweaters are helping keep textile waste out of the landfills. Further, the sweaters are characterized as “bespoke,” suggesting they’ll be handmade to order by artisans in Lima, Peru. Finally, proceeds from the sales of the sweaters will go back to those creating them. According to the press release, “All sales from the bespoke knitwear will go directly back to The Endery’s workers in Peru to improve their facilities and safeguard the indigenous knitters’ traditional craft, amplifying the positive impact for their communities.”
That goes a long way toward explaining the $250 price tag per sweater. But it’s not just environmental sustainability. There’s also a sort of existential sustainability, which is to say that these sweaters are designed and manufactured as heirlooms for future generations, as The Endery explains.