DESIGNER PROFILE
Mine Is Yours: Art in Every Strand
When launching Mine Is Yours last autumn, it was very important to Megan Dorien, artist and founder, to be responsible about her impact on the earth when starting a business. According to Dorien, when choosing to use water-based inks as opposed to the industry standard, Plastisol, it was not a tough decision.
Water-based inks produce soft, smooth, breathable images, which are also more eco-friendly, according to Dorien. “It creates the ‘vintage feel’ that people find superior. You won’t find any cracking or peeling because it has become part of the shirt fabric. Our process lets the shirt be what it’s supposed to be—fabric.”
“Though they are more expensive and harder to use, I care enough to overlook that, and I’m happy about the decision. Most of our branding collateral is also printed on recycled paper,” Dorien said.
The T-shirt market is oversaturated, Dorien said, with everything “from silly slogan tees to crazy, nutty full-wrap tees, and that’s all cool,” she said. “But we are striving to make high-quality fine art that is wearable. We want our buyers to treat the products like they would art—in high esteem and as a collectible item.”
To underscore the high-art aspect, Dorien’s signature is on every design. “It’s a reminder that every piece stems directly from a traditional painting,” she said.
Dorien sources all her printing with a print studio called Pete’s Print Shop in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood, making sure to keep jobs stateside.
“Each shirt is printed by hand, one by one, instilling craftsmanship into each piece,” she said.
Mine Is Yours plans to expand westward on the retail front in 2014, Dorien said.
“LA—it’s a great place for creativity,” Dorien said. “We plan to use 2014 as a year to get the word out that we’re here and serious contenders in the indie fashion world.
“Our designs are 100 percent unique because they are direct translations of paintings. The name of the brand itself is indicative of my feelings as an artist. Mine Is Yours Apparel roughly translates to ‘I have something to share with you, so if you’d like, take it.’ Our tagline really sums up our brand as a whole: ‘Art in Every Strand.’”
In addition to T-shirts, the collection includes hoodies, totes, bandeaux and jewelry. Pieces are wholesale priced between $10 and $23. For more information, email info@mineisyoursapparel.com.
