Welcome to hugs by Kumi, where I hope to help you honor your loved ones by carefully transforming their clothing into wearable memories.
A Personal Example
To understand the experience I’d like to help curate, I thought I’d share how I honored the memory of my dad through this work.
Even though my dad left this world in 2001, Buddhism taught me about the impermanence of his human form but also to honor his ongoing ability to keep guiding me in this world. I have spoken with many others who honor their loved ones by interacting with their clothing.
For me, this plaid shirt carried with it memories, thoughts, and emotions. While I wouldn’t wear my dad’s shirt in its original form, I deconstructed the shirt stitch by stitch, honoring both the fabric and the memories it holds.
Video showing how to use the NFC tag
I captured the memories with photos of my dad, as well his shirt’s transformation on a custom webpage to tell the story. Each hoodie I make has a unique QR code and corresponding NFC tag pointing to its story.
The transformation from the original form into a new hoodie represents both an ending and a beginning — a way to honor what was while creating something new. I tried to make this hoodie a testament to love, memory, and the beauty of transformation.
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I approach each piece with deep reverence, knowing I’m handling not just clothing, but precious memories and emotions. If you’re looking for ways to honor a love one, I would be honored to help create something meaningful from their clothing.