March 15, 2007

On a Lark

Some traditions endure for good reasons – the knitting craze is proof that hand-made sweaters always win over mass-produced shirts. And while email, IMs and message boards have replaced letters and neighborly drop-ins, sometimes the old way really is best – with a modern twist, of course.

Little Lark is a small, mom-run company in Portland that uses traditional printing techniques to create crisp modern designs for clothing and note cards. The funky collection of original cards uses a letterpress method that dates to the 13th century. Each individual card is hand-fed through an antique printing press to create cool iconic images with a sense of texture and a pleasing nostalgic feel – so different from laser-printed or mass market options. The cards are blank inside, and perfect for any occasion (Congratulations on potty training, perhaps?).

The images also appear on Little Lark's other creations, like hand-printed shirts, pants and onesies. Soft cozy tops (long or short sleeve, sizes to 4T) feature clever silkscreen prints with universal kid appeal ? a bike, robot, garden gnome and of course, larks. Colors and designs are refreshingly gender neutral, enhancing their hand-me-down-ability. Paired with a matching letter-pressed card and wrapped in a reusable hand-printed muslin bag, the tees make great gifts. Stay tuned for big-kid and grownup sizes soon.

Luckily we have something the 13th century did not: online shopping.

Available online at alittlelark.com.

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