Craftsmanship
A Work of Passion!
88th Company Craftsmanship is the core of the brand. Craftsmanship means that I, as an artist, and my small team do all the thrifting, concept design, painting, sewing, dyeing, and distressing by hand. Therefore, it takes long hours of work and even weeks to finish one custom piece. It is a labor of love and passion to provide you with the most unique wearable art piece that celebrates History & vintage design.
Founder & ArtistSonia T.
Craftsmanship Process
Thrifting Process
01. Thrifting
Thrift a few times a week for vintage military bags, jackets, workwear, fabrics, threads, and much more. This process can take long hours and I sometimes travel to location.
02. Cleaning
For you to have the perfect wearable art, all vintage items are washed and repaired if needed.
03. Measurements
All vintage items are carefully measured and recorded in 88th Co. inventory.
Design Process
01. Research
Research through archives, books, museums, documentaries, and movies for ideas & tales of courage for a unique design.
02. Sketching
Flush out serval concept sketches on paper.
03. Mockup Design
Digitalize the sketches and print the mockup to test placing it on the item.
The Perfection of Imperfections
As an artist, I’ve always been taught to create clean and perfect designs, but when I discovered vintage clothes, I saw the imperfections as BEAUTIFUL! Imperfections are several human stories of hardship, love, discoveries, adventures, wars, revolutions, and voyages throughout history. Imperfections are stories that I will keep in my designs no matter what. So yes, imperfections are simply PERFECT!
Painting Process
01. Tracing
To trace, each canvas needs to be painted white first and traced second. Custom stencils can also be used, depending on the project.
02. Painting
The painting process can take two to three weeks. (Paint used for fabric: Speedball paint).
03. Heat Pressing
After a few days of drying, the entire painting is heat pressed to stick to the garment for life. It is also the best way to protect the art piece from water.
Leather Process
01. Cutting
I first cut the shape on paper, trace it on the leather, and cut it. Each piece of leather must be cleaned before painting.
02. Base Paint
The leather piece is painted white and the design is traced. (Paint used for leather: Angelus Paint) I would also press holes if the piece needs to be sawn to a garment.
03. Painting
I paint the full design and when done I cover it with a matte finisher. If the piece needs to be distressed, I would do it with sandpaper.
Sewing Process
01. Pattern Making
Design, trace, and cut the pattern design on the repurposed fabric.
02. Sewing
Embroidery is only made by hand, while sewing can either be made by hand or machine. It depends on the task at hand.
03. Distressing
Threads and stitches can be stained/dyed over or distressed for a vintage look.
Custom Packaging
The Tags
Tags are unique to every design project. They’re dyed, stamped, and illustrated by hand.
Your Letter
I take the time to write you a thank you letter for your purchase and welcome you into the 88th Co. family.
The Certificate
Each design comes with a certificate of authenticity, serial number, and your name.
Custom Stencil
My custom stencils are always used to spray paint the 88th Company logo and the name of the project.
Cutting & Folding
Cutting and folding the bags or boxes for your art piece is something I do in-house!
The Seal
Each package comes with an 88th Company military wax seal because it is your classified and unique piece!