Jul 27, 2021The Best Butter In The WorldTracking down who makes beurre Bretel, the nostalgic Vietnamese favorite. My mom in law (from Toronto) spent some of her time here with me in San Francisco trying to negotiate for a crate of Bretel butter from a guy in LA who sells it by the pallet, for about $10…Butter4 min readButter4 min read
Sep 28, 2020introspective deficitDecisions are easy when you know yourself well. But how do you get to that point? I like having multiple focuses in my life, like multiple jobs, hobbies, and raising my son. Some call this ‘hustling’. Others just call it being a working parent. Whenever I’m struggling to make a…Executive Function3 min readExecutive Function3 min read
Apr 6, 2020F*CK COVID-19: Why I’m sewing masks during quarantine timeHey all, Ruth here. I hope everyone is safe, healthy and managing as best they can during the quarantine. Robin and I are lucky enough to be able to WFH. …Masks4all3 min readMasks4all3 min read
Mar 17, 2020Cheap clothes: exploitation or sustainability?A bright blue lined bomber jacket for $5. A toddler hoodie and sweatpants set for $3. Is it exploitation? Or signs of a growing circular economy? Clothing is still all sewn by factory workers on industrial sewing machines. It’s difficult to automate because it requires a high degree of precision…Manufacturing9 min readManufacturing9 min read
Published inSupplyframe·Feb 5, 2020One In A Million Jeansunspun’s custom jeans bring 21st century innovations to weaving and sustainability in the fashion industry. Bucking the trend of fast fashion, unspun is 3D scanning users and creating custom, high-quality jeans. “This whole company revolves around sustainability,” Miles Pekala tells me, as he narrates a tour of the unspun space…Robotic Manufacturing5 min readRobotic Manufacturing5 min read
Published inSupplyframe·Sep 20, 2019Plastics and designer toysRyan Rutherford specializes in designing and mass manufacturing plastic products at work, while making limited edition designer toys with a vintage roto-mold machine at home. I found Ryan on the internet when I wondered if I could make my own capsule toys, and came across his Instructable explaining how he…Manufacturing6 min readManufacturing6 min read
Published inSupplyframe·Sep 10, 2019It’s mainframes all the way downIncrement Magazine published an article about the curious longevity of COBOL. We interviewed Peter Wong*, an engineering lead for mainframe systems, to get the real story on why institutions flush away hundreds of millions of dollars trying to migrate legacy systems, and how companies and engineers can do better. Have…Programming11 min readProgramming11 min read
Published inSupplyframe·Aug 28, 2019Design for manufacture in the USA with URB-E’s electric vehicles“When I was in college I picked a rice cooker for myself — the cheapest one available. But when you have a kid, you don’t want the stuff peeling off the back of the pot going into his body. …Hardware5 min readHardware5 min read
Published inSupplyframe·Apr 30, 2019Made in China: A Shoe CompanyRick Schawelson moved to Taiwan in 1982 and had the unique opportunity to do business in China just as it was opening up after the Cultural Revolution in 1987. At their peak his company exported 700,000 pairs of shoes per month to the likes of Walmart, Kmart, and Payless Shoes…China5 min readChina5 min read
Published inSupplyframe·Apr 22, 2019On the Cutting Edge of Technical Knit ManufacturingConnie and Bruce Huffa are Fabdesigns Inc., the engineering firm behind pioneer products such as the Nike Flyknit and Warp Lacrosse Racket. Connie speaks about how knit-tech engineers can eliminate waste, improve recyclability, and bring industry back to sustainability, while also making better products with higher profit margins. A Mixture of Older and Newer Technologies In 2013…Fashion9 min readFashion9 min read
