Local clothier Unionmade, which has been establishing itself as a growing brand of old-timey, hipster-Americana clothing and accessories since opening a little shop on Sanchez and 18th just a couple years ago, has just received some negative national attention for the fact that their stuff is not, actually, all union-made. Gawker picked up on the story today, via a couple of reader emails (which could be part of some orchestrated takedown?), citing the fact that the name is highly misleading to those who might try to patronize union-only businesses.

We ourselves were never that confused about this, we'll say, but maybe we're not sensitive enough to the union thing. We always understood the store name to be, as the company insists it is, "a signifier of well-made and aesthetically timeless goods."

The company claims to sell "fairly priced products made from the best available materials," and they're appealing to the contemporary, back-to-our-preppy-roots aesthetic of many a hipster-ghetto men's store. (See also Taylor Stitch, Freemans Sporting Club, and Welcome Stranger.) And we will say that Unionmade's store is very attractive, we just can't afford anything there.

Gawker, though, finds itself offended by the misunderstanding that is inherent in the brand name:

If you want to have an attractively curated store that sells insanely overpriced clothes designed to mimic the clothes that poor people wore a century ago, fine. But calling your store "Unionmade" (and modeling your logo on the AFL-CIO's) while not selling union made goods is just as asinine and insulting as calling your store "Americanmade" while selling things manufactured in China.

Interesting point.

[Gawker]