Organic cotton bandana, sustainably sourced in India, pre-washed for extra soft feel.
The "Free Spirit" design is by Sam Dunn, a freelance designer and illustrator based in South East London. Her colorful, incredibly detailed illustrations are influenced by British skate/punk culture and the hard-charging music that serves as it's soundtrack. In addition to concert poster prints for bands like Mastodon and Alkaline Trio, Sam has created designs for skateboards, bikes, and even bathing suits. As a child, Sam would intricately study and attempt to recreate CD covers, skateboard decks, and gig posters. She still takes great effort to draw her line work by hand, a often overlooked (and time-consumig) technique in today's digital era of art creation. Coupled with elements of botanical inspiration from English countryside trips during her youth, this practice helped Sam to develop a uniquely detailed, hand-drawn style that is simultaneously hard-edged and vulnerable.
When conceiving "Free Spirit," Sam aimed to create an emblem for a truly free-spirited character, or an "Outlaw" in the more modern sense of the word. She imaged someone who led a life not following the usual social norms, a person who sought out their own path rather than chasing what is expected.
Sam chose Parkinson's UK to receive 10% of brand sales of this bandana. It is a London-based organization that provides supportive care for people in the UK living with Parkinson's Disease. Each year, Parkinson's UK helps thousands of people suffering from this disease by providing dedicated support for patients in the form of local advisors, one-on-one counseling, peer groups, online resources, and more.
- Size 21"x21"
- 100% organic GOTS-certified cotton. Sourced from Chetna Organic in India.
- Printed, cut, sewn and packaged by hand at a Fair Trade Certified facility in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. There may be slight variations in each bandana.
- Hand wash, line or tumble dry, warm iron, do not bleach
Nicole and Connor Humphreys are the co-founders of Bandits and self-proclaimed "bandana enthusiasts." They moved from LA to Bali and realized they needed to replace the frayed, sweaty bandanas that had become essential to their motorbike rides across the island. When all they could find was scratchy cotton, boring patterns, and suspect manufacturing, the idea for Bandits was born. Building upon Nicole’s extensive work in the non-profit sector and Connor’s business background, they set out to build a bandana that would spark collaboration, inspire original expression, and create positive change.
Nicole and Connor have traveled the globe to find the perfect blend of sustainably-sourced, 100% Organic Cotton. They have searched and sampled from countless manufacturers to ultimately find an incredible Fair Trade certified partner in Kolkata, India. They spent countless hours discovering the most original artistic talents in the world and working with them to create mind-blowing bandana designs.
Most importantly though, when figuring out how (not if) BANDITS would give back to the world, they put the choice in the hands of the artists. The simple but important decision to donate 10% of sales to charities chosen by the design artists helped to Make bandits what it is today; a platform for customers not just to buy a bandana, but to experience a more personal connection with the designs, the artists, and the amazing charities they’re helping to support.
