Welcome to hugs by Kumi, where I hope to commemorate the lives of loved ones by transforming their clothing—an article that holds memories, emotions, and stories—into a new wearable form.
My Own Story
The experience I’d like to help curate is about more than simply crafting a hoodie; it is about creating a new story, one that honors the past while looking forward to the future.
Impermanence is a central concept in Buddhism and one that has guided me since losing my dad in 2001. I have come to appreciate that all things, including ourselves, evolve over time. Each hoodie I create is a form of repair.
Each stitch of the shirt is carefully seam ripped out of respect for the person whose memories and emotions are intertwined with the fabric. I appreciated transforming an article of clothing that I would never wear in its original form into something that I could wear again. It was a way of celebrating renewal and honoring resilience.
Video showing how to use the NFC tag
I captured the memories with photos of my dad, as well as 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 “journey.”
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. The process is about more than simply crafting a hoodie; it is about creating a new story.
Learn More
I approach each piece with deep reverence, knowing I am handling not just clothing, but memories and emotions. Please reach out, if you’d like to explore how I can help preserve a cherished memory of your loved one.