products - Caspar

Decorative Pillowcases: From History to DIY Guidelines

Caspar Design — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 09:04:03 +0000

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!

The post Decorative Pillowcases: From History to DIY Guidelines appeared first on Caspar.

Classic Cotton T-shirt: The Eternal Style Icon

Caspar Design — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 07:07:50 +0000

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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Slow fashion: let’s slow down until we can finally stop the damage we are doing to our planet

Caspar Design — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 05:53:21 +0000

Fashion world has lately been booming with phrases such as fast fashion, sustainable fashion, responsible fashion etc. With all these new fashions emerging, it’s hard to keep track of what’s good, what’s bad, what is related to the fashion industry and what refers to the buyers. This is why we have decided to clarify one key concept in our branch, and through it we can clarify the rest of them.

This concept is slow fashion.

What do you mean, slow fashion? Is it the clothes that need time to appear in stores? Is it the kind of apparel that takes a while to get to your address when you order it?

Not in a long shot. Let’s start over.

When the Earth says: That’s enough!

Slow fashion emerged as a response to fast fashion. Fast fashion is what we see every day when we step into a store – large corporations constantly releasing new collections, putting old ones on sale, people rushing to get as many items as possible at low prices.

All this enthusiasm due to new pieces of clothing comes at a cost, and the cost is calculated in the damage that is done to the environment. Most people will wave their hands and say it can’t be as bad as it sounds.

Here are some facts that might surprise you:

93% of top brands don’t ensure minimal wage for their production workers. It is a well-known fact that most fashion items are produced in developing countries such as China, Bangladesh, India and Vietnam (if not convinced, check the label on your shirt). Besides working extremely long hours, these workers receive a wage that is on the verge of survival.
Fashion industry is the second largest pollutant, right after the oil industry. In order for it to launch these enormous amounts of clothes on the market, fashion industry must lower the production costs. When they aren’t doing it with their workers’ wages, they save money on sustainability. The use of heavy chemicals, throwing waste into rivers, seas and oceans, as well as the use of undegradable materials are just some of the reasons.
Only 1% of discarded clothing is recycled. This means that about 500 billions of dollars worth of clothing ends up being thrown away every year. How so? In the UK an average person throws away 30 kilos of clothes every year, and in the USA about 37 kilos.
Textile industry is responsible for 10-20% of the world’s pesticide use. These pesticides, besides being harmful on materials (and our skin), get into the soil and pollute it, along with underground waters.
One fifth of the world’s water pollution comes from detergents, colours and solvents that are used when making clothes.

We could go on, but we think you get the picture. Fast fashion causes a lot of damage to our planet.

As a solution to this problem, slow fashion appeared.

Slow fashion – slow down and change the course of the future

Slow fashion is the exact opposite of everything that fast fashion represents.

The term was coined by the author, activist and professor Kate Fletcher, who also explained its main characteristics.

Simply put, this movement chooses quality over quantity. It takes into consideration the entire process of production, sales and use of fashion items: starting with resources, ending with disposal. Its representatives will spend more money on a clothing item if it fulfils certain criteria. What kind of clothing items are these?

Items produced in a quality manner, which ensures they are long-lasting.
The workers must be treated with respect.
The animals are respected as well (these items aren’t made of fur, leather etc.)
These items are produced sustainably – sustainable materials, recycling (sustainable fashion).

Slow fashion pushed the breaks on overproduction, complicated supply chains and overuse of items that are worn only once or twice before being thrown away.

Slow fashion in real life: sustainability and morality

We will use concrete examples to explain how slow fashion works.

How many times have you bought a piece of clothing only because it was cheap? You have probably worn it once before you decided you no longer liked it. Or perhaps you wanted to wear it several times, but the quality was poor and after the second wash it practically fell apart.

Slow fashion means you will choose items that are of high quality and will last for years. For example, instead of buying five pieces of cotton shirts that will shrink and fade after the first wash, you will buy one that you’ll wear for five years.

This one shirt will be made of organic cotton, no pesticides will be used in its production, and the workers will have received fair wages. The dyes used for its wonderful red colour won’t be tossed in the nearby river. Five years from now, when this shirt will no longer be wearable, you will dispose it into the recycling bin.

How many people have you helped by this process, can you imagine?

Starting with those workers in the field, the ones in the factory, those people whose fresh water supply won’t be polluted by pesticides or detergents, and those people on whose backyard your shirt could end up due to inappropriate disposal.

The change starts with you

Popular trends set certain images into our heads, and we are led by them. This makes us believe that the more we have, the happier we will be.

The more we buy, the more we damage our planet.

But the change starts with us. Just one decision helps the bigger picture.

How do we at Caspar contribute to slow fashion?

We use biodegradable fabric dyes, and we don’t use liquid water in the printing process. Our desire to reduce waste resulted in another idea – we have decided to give individuals the opportunity to be unique. This means that they no longer need to buy what the rest of the world is buying, but they can come up with their own design which we then put onto the material or final product. The result? No mass production, just the one on order. Hope that, by doing this, we will contribute to the bigger picture that will be shown to the fashion world.

We can only imagine what the fashion industry will look like in ten years’ time if we let it know that slow fashion is our wish.

We can’t wait to see the results, but one thing is for sure: the world will become a better place because of it.

Do you want to design your own shirt or pillowcase? Check out our web shop and contact us!

The post Slow fashion: let’s slow down until we can finally stop the damage we are doing to our planet appeared first on Caspar.

How can you take proper care of our apparel and fabrics?

Caspar Design — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 10:27:57 +0000

How many times have you destroyed your new piece of clothing by improper care? Perhaps you washed the white shirt with red socks. Maybe you ironed a polyester shirt on cotton settings, or washed it on 60°C. In order to prevent further mourning over your favourite pieces of clothing, we present to you a brief overview of proper care instructions for all items and fabrics purchased on Caspar Design web shop. Proper care of our products reflects our idea of sustainability and eco-friendliness. How can I take proper care of my printed fabrics and products?

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

Every iron either has settings based on the material type, or based on ironing temperature, most often in the shape of a wheel. Cotton is on the edge of this wheel, i.e., on the highest temperatures section. When ironing, choose standard cotton settings (high temperature). Another important piece of advice is to iron the apparel on the reverse side to preserve its colours and/or print.

Polyester settings are located at the beginning of the wheel (low temperatures). Be very careful and lower the temperature because colour transfer or material burning may occur.

Polyester

Linen

Even though it’s a natural material, linen doesn’t like higher temperatures because they can cause colour loss or material breaking. The right choice is a setting similar to those of polyester materials.

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

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