The post Decorative Pillowcases: From History to DIY Guidelines appeared first on Caspar.
]]>On the bed, on the couch, on the floor. Stuffed with feathers, fibres, memory foam or buckwheat hulls. Pillows are a must-have in every interior, whether it’s a house, apartment, office, café or cottage. We use them for their primary purpose – head support – as well as for purely decorative purposes.
However, pillows looked quite different once upon a time.
When did the history of pillows begin?
The answer is a long, looong time ago – 9000 years ago in Mesopotamia (present day Iraq and Iran), to be more exact.
If you think that ancient Babylonians rested their heads on comfortable, soft feathers, you are in for a surprise: their pillows were actually made of stone. That’s right, their primary purpose was not comfort – pillows were made to keep those grovelling creatures such as insects out of citizens’ ears when they slept.
Similar kinds of pillows, but made of other materials, have found their ways into the households of ancient Egypt and China.
Luckily, the ancient Greeks and Romans took over the stage and began filling the pillows with soft materials such as cotton, straw and feathers.
Century after century of ups and downs, and finally we have reached the industrial revolution, when modern technologies enabled a lower price of this commodity. Therefore, decorative pillows weren’t something only the wealthy could afford; they became parts of all households, different sofas and chairs.
Today, pillows are no longer something we simply sleep on. They are the key to a good interior design, something that will elevate the charm of every room. Decorative pillows are here to embellish that boring grey couch or that chair that seems a bit dull.
However, why should we have three different kinds of pillows in case we wish for a different décor?
There is a much simpler way in which we can breathe in new life to these pillows. Of course, we are talking about pillowcases.
Endless decorative possibilities
When we talk about decorative pillowcases, we primarily mean the ones that will embrace the pillows on your couch, armchair, hammock, dining room chair, even the floor in front of the fireplace.
Pillowcases give us so many options, so many different styles that we can safely proclaim these pieces of fabric the central elements of every interior design décor.
Would you care for some oriental style? Choose a colourful pillowcase with tassels.
Are you looking for a Scandinavian style? Choose pillowcases with clear lines and light colours.
Would you like to make your friends laugh? A pillowcase with Nicolas Cage’s face is just the thing that will make it happen.
Another option the modern times give you is to design your own pillowcase! Caspar gives you the possibility to create your own custom design. You can upload it through our online customizer (pattern, colours, even photographs) and put it on a pillowcase with all over print.
We will print your design on the fabric, sew it and deliver it to your address! Here is what you need to know about the pillowcase.
- The material we use is Heavy Twill – 100% cotton with a thicker structure (375g/m2).
- Available dimensions are 40x40cm, 50x50cm and 40x65cm.
In case you are more of a do-it-yourself kind of person, and one of your favourite activities is mastering the art of sewing, you can also make your pillowcase from scratch.
Here are some tips and tricks that will make the entire process much easier.
What are the best materials for pillowcases?
When choosing the material for your pillowcases, keep in mind that it must not be stretchable and that it must be firm. This way, it can keep its shape (or stuffing) and give you the level of comfort you are looking for.
According to these characteristics, we have three perfect materials that will be great for your DIY projects:
Each of these fabrics is very firm, making them ideal for both indoor and outdoor decorations. The main difference between Twill and Canvas is that Twills are more resilient due to their weave (keep in mind that denim is also a kind of Twill weave!).
Detailed features of each fabric can be found on the links, but you can also contact us if you have some more questions on your mind.
Use this opportunity and create a unique gift for different occasions: birthdays, bachelorette parties, baby showers, Valentine’s Day and similar events. Shhh – additional decorations such as pearls and tassels are also a great idea!
You can print your design on all the fabrics we have on offer. We’ve even prepared a blog that will explain everything when it comes to creating your custom design!
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]]>The post Classic Cotton T-shirt: The Eternal Style Icon appeared first on Caspar.
]]>Classic, short sleeve cotton shirt.
A piece of clothing everyone has in their closet. It comes as no surprise – you can wear it anytime, anywhere.
Cosy in bed? T-shirt. Walk around the block? T-shirt. Headed to the gym? T-shirt. Going out? T-shirt.
These fashion chameleons can be retro, modern, classic, fancy or casual. They are worn by men, women, children, grandmas and grandpas; they can be classic white or in a thousand colours, with or without print.
T-shirt is a piece of clothing that will always be fashionable, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.
Well then, how did the T-shirt come to be and when? The answer is…
… a long, looong time ago!
How long, you ask? In the Middle Ages!
That’s right, classic white cotton T-shirts first appeared in the Middle Ages as undergarments, their job was to stand between the skin and the rough exterior clothing. They also had these strange tails that were tied between the legs so that the shirt could stay put.
Luckily, 19th century modern technology enabled mass production and simpler sewing processes, which in turn made these models more appropriate for the body and removed the need for those weird tails.
Women were perhaps the luckiest ones when T-shirts appeared as undergarment because they soon replaced those uncomfortable corsets. However, the first ones who wore T-shirts as clothing, and not underwear, were British sailors. Working-class men saw them and decided to follow this trend.
And then, pop culture led the way to a T-shirt boom!
Rebel hunks such as James Dean and Marlon Brando made T-shirt a fashion trend in the 50s and 60s. Female style icons such as Brooke Shields and Kate Moss grew fond of it, it was used to send social activists’ messages, musicians decided to use it as band merch, and today it walks the catwalks around the world.
To sum things up, from Middle Ages undergarment, our classic cotton shirt became a symbol of high fashion. What a time to be alive!
Why cotton?
T-shirts come in many forms and can be made of various materials – cotton, polyester, viscose, well it can even be made of jute if you like such a thing. However, at Caspar we really, really like cotton. Why?
Because it’s so cosy! Because a cotton T-shirt can be worn anytime, anywhere, for any occasion – perhaps it could even make an appearance at a wedding. Unless it was worn by the bride?
In any case, cotton T-shirt is a piece of clothing that is equally loved by both kindergarten children and their grandparents. Still, Caspar likes doing things differently, so we decided to take it to the next level.
Our cotton shirts have GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certificate, labelling the products whose manufacturing process fulfils social and ecological standards. In other words, this is organic cotton that goes through production process in which everyone receives fair wage, and no harm is done to nature.
But we didn’t stop there!
All Over Print
Had today’s technology been present in the 50s, perhaps even Dean and Brando would have had second thoughts about those classic white shirts.
At Caspar, you can choose your model – women’s slim fit, unisex or oversized T-shirt dress – and place your custom print all over its surface!
How? Simply select your model and size, and have fun in our customizer. Don’t worry, we even prepared a blog that will clarify the entire process for you!
T-shirts aren’t the only products that have the all over print option – find more of them in our webshop!
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]]>The post Custom Made Products – Express Your Creativity appeared first on Caspar.
]]>Be different, Be yourself, Be unique!
How?
Express yourselves through that which people will first notice – clothing!
Caspar has a mission: to support those creative ones – designer beginners, influencers and all of those who wish to clearly express their statement. We have decided to give them an opportunity to place their ideas on products that are to be proudly shown and worn, and all of this through a special option on our website – customizer.
What is this device? What are we talking about?
It’s not a device, it’s an…
… online product customization tool!
By selecting all over print (AOP) products in our web shop, you are provided with an option to adjust them to your own design ideas. Here you can let your imagination run wild, let your creativity take over – put different colours, texts and upload photos that will proudly stand on your new product.
Blanket for those cold winter days, a personalized tote bag, pillowcase to make your couch feel special, women’s leggings or a classic T-shirt – all of these can be customized. Best of all? You don’t need to make ten of them at once – the minimum order is just one piece.
Well, we know this is all a bit confusing.
So we decided to show you how to design your new clothes, step by step.
Custom made products – tutorial
We use tutorials on a daily basis, too, so we’ve created this one to answer any of the questions you might have.
Let us explain the procedure on our All Over Printed T-Shirt.
First of all, you need to select the size. This product, as is the case with most AOP products, ranges from size XXS to XXL, so you can rest assured you’ll find one that will fit you. Once this is selected, you may begin the customization procedure – click on “Customize”.
Et voilà – our customizer opens!
You will automatically see two visuals – 2D on the left and 3D on the right side. By clicking on 3D, and navigating the mouse, you can rotate the product and see it on all sides. If you wish to see only 2D or only 3D, you must select the desired option in the upper right corner.
There you go – you are all set to express your creativity!
First option: colour
- We offer you different colour options, but also the possibility to select your own. Just click on the rainbow option and customize yours (or insert its code).
- You want your sleeves to be in one, and the collar in another colour? The front in green and the back in yellow? No problem – below you can see the option of selecting a certain part, and each of it may have its own colouring.
Second option – image
- We know you must have some creative designs saved on your computer. Why not put it on your new T-shirt? Rotate the image so you can see the part where you want your design to be – front, back or sleeves.
- Now click on “Upload”, select the image you want on your design and drop it on the T-shirt.
- Here you can stretch it and put it on different parts of the shirt.
- Another amazing option is image all over print, whether it’s on a T-shirt or a pillowcase. Once you have uploaded the image into the customizer, click on “All Over Print” in the editor, and it will appear on the entire product:
The third option – text
- Some of you might prefer text over colour. If you have a statement that will match those punk Vivienne Westwood shirts, just write them down in the customizer and that’s it!
- When you write down the text, select the font and colour. Click “OK” and you can drop it on the shirt and alter its size.
- If you are feeling a bit playful, you can also rotate and flip the text – Flip H (horizontally), Flip V (vertically), Bring to front and Send to back.
And that’s it!
Oh yes, another thing: the product with the same design, bit with different size, can be added later, once you have already placed the product in your basket.
Simple and creative.
Your part is over and ours may begin – we will print it, sew it and deliver it as soon as possible.
Are you ready for something different?
Take a peek into our webshop and check out our AOP selection!
P.S. Click here to see video tutorial “How to use our Product Customizer”
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]]>The post How can you take proper care of our apparel and fabrics? appeared first on Caspar.
]]>Wash on low temperatures
It is a well-known fact that synthetic materials should not be washed on high temperatures, which are reserved for natural materials. However, lately we can hear about the importance of washing all apparel on lower temperatures, regardless of the material they are made of. Even brands such as Ariel and Tide started campaigns reflecting the importance of such procedures when it comes to sustainability. How can this help us preserve energy?
Let’s start with the most important fact: most CO2 emissions that occur during the washing cycle (90% of total energy) comes from water heating. Therefore, lower temperature means less energy needed for washing.
Research has proven that if you lower the washing temperature from 40°C to 30°C, you save about 57% in energy costs. Asides from saving energy, these washing cycles are much shorter, meaning you will also save on water consumption.
- If the entire Europe would lower their washing temperature from 40°C to 30°C, we could save 3,5 million tons of CO2 per year. This is the equivalent of removing two million cars off the road.
- If your clothes aren’t very soiled, and you use a detergent meant for cold washes, the washing results will be the same as if you have washed it on a higher temperature.
- If your clothes are soiled, lower temperature can be compensated by a larger amount of detergent.
Asides from saving energy and helping with sustainable future, cold washing doesn’t damage the fabrics as much as washing on higher temperatures. In other words, by washing your shirt on 30°C, your favourite shirts will have those bright, cheerful colours for a longer period of time.
What about ironing clothes and fabrics?
If your clothes are made of materials that are prone to wrinkles, such as cotton, ironing will be that one chore you won’t be able to get out of. To prevent your iron from “accidentally” destroying your new favourite shirt, it is important to follow the instructions on proper ironing. These depend on the type of material the apparel is made of. If you aren’t sure about it, peek at the product’s label.
Cotton
Polyester
Linen
Steam ironing
Using ironing steam certainly helps with those pesky wrinkles. Nevertheless, avoid spraying the clothes with water. This can cause staining due to the materials found in water (irons use distilled water).
Why do new products smell like vinegar?
You have finally received that shirt you have been waiting for. You open the box and unfold the paper. Then, all of a sudden – a smell of vinegar. How come? Did someone prepare pickles in the warehouse?
Don’t panic, this is completely normal. The smell of vinegar comes from eco-friendly textile dyes. Vinegar has been used as a fixation agent for quite some time now. It is the agent that helps the colour attach to the surface. Without it, the colouring would fall off the material. So, if you smell vinegar, you can rest assured that you have purchased an eco-friendly product which uses natural ingredients in its colouring, instead of those heavy chemicals.
Dry-cleaning
Sometimes grown-ups are worse than children when it comes to stains. And sometimes these stains are so pesky that they cannot be removed by a simple detergent. Instead, we take the clothes to the cleaners. One of the chemicals that can be used in the dry-cleaning process is perchloroethylene, an industrial solvent. If you are visiting your dry cleaner, ask the clerk if they use this solvent, popularly called perc. Assuming they do, know that it can cause colour damage on your shirt or tablecloth.
Still have any questions? Contact us and we will gladly answer them 
The post How can you take proper care of our apparel and fabrics? appeared first on Caspar.
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