Friday, February 19, 2010

"Books on shirts. Shirts on a mission."

There's a fantastic new clothing line struting its stuff in the literary world this year--Out of Print Clothing. Though it was established in 1984, the creative and charitable company that prints out-of-print book covers on comfy fitted tee shirts is just now getting noticed.

Their shirts are more than just a perfect addition to any book-lover's closet, however. The company is trying to change the world, according to the Out of Print Clothing mission statement posted on their website:
Books on shirts. Shirts on a mission.

Out of Print celebrates the world’s great stories through fashion. Our shirts feature iconic and often out of print book covers. Some are classics, some are just curious enough to make great t-shirts, but all are striking works of art.

We work closely with artists, authors and publishers to license the content that ends up in our collections. Each shirt is treated to feel soft and worn like a well-read book.

In addition to spreading the joy of reading through our tees, we acknowledge that many parts of the world don't have access to books at all. We are working to change that. For each shirt we sell, one book is donated to a community in need through our partner Books For Africa.

How we read is changing as we move further into the digital age. It's unclear what the role of the book cover will be in this new era, but we feel it's more important than ever to reflect on our own individual experiences with great literary art before it's forever changed.

What’s your story? Wear it proud.
Among some of the titles Out Of Print has already transferred to tees are The Catcher in the Rye, On the Road, Invisible Man, Brave New World, 1984, Of Mice and Men, Lolita, A Streetcar Named Desire, Moby Dick, and Farenheit 451. Check out their website for a complete listing of tees.

I am absolutely loving this company! I can't wait till they issue some of my personal favorites--A Farewell to Arms and The Bell Jar among them. And man, what a great way to find new markets for the Classics!

Thanks to Rebecca for bringing this awesome endeavor to my attention!

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