About

Context
I’m Louis. I was born in ’91 and grew up in/around St. Louis, MO, mostly out in the country. From 2011 through 2021 I was bouncing around living in Nevada, NYC, Oregon, and the California Bay Area. Now I'm back in STL. I make all the stuff. I’m grateful to do what I do. I’m grateful for all of you.

Packaging
All materials used to pack and ship my products are biodegradable and/or recyclable. It’s mostly paper products, plus some super special tape from Ecoenclose. I do all the packing and shipping myself.

Textile
I believe clothing and textile goods could use extra attention contemporarily as we in the US have virtually stopped producing textile goods in recent decades. We need clothing. We need it to be made in a way that we can all sustain.

Why is everything made in USA? It’s not about nationalism, and it certainly isn’t anything against free trade. It’s not even about quality. It’s the simple fact that I have found myself in the US, and I recognize that the need for clothing is universal. Let’s share the load. It’s about minimizing transportation emissions. It’s an effort to avoid exploiting the economies of developing countries. It’s about supporting manufacturers with transparent working conditions. It’s about supporting domestic farms and the domestic yarn industry. It’s about creating meaningful work. It’s about community.

Why cotton? Cotton is a plant. Cotton is biodegradable both aerobically and anaerobically. This means it can break down relatively quickly, even in a covered landfill. Cotton feels good. I’m interested in using other plant based textiles too, and I intend to avoid synthetic/petroleum-based fabrics completely.

Why organic? Organic farming practices help protect bees, water, soil, and much more! One major difference in organic farming is that it does not involve harmful pesticides, but that's just the beginning.

Posters
These days I'm mostly making hand-printed linoleum block prints, printed by me in my St. Louis, MO studio. I use cotton BFK paper, oil based ink, and nothing toxic. All screen prints were designed by me, and hand pulled by the fine folks at Sun Night Editions in Oakland, CA. Check them out for screen printing and relief printing services. 
 
Feel free to contact with any questions or comments: LOUIS@LOUISBICYCLE.COM