Another great Made in the USA brand coming out of Portland, Oregon is Prunella Soap, made by Janell Anderson. Prunella (or more specifically Princess Prunella) was a nickname Anderson’s mom gave her as a little girl as she would stay in the bath too long, turning her fingertips to “prunes.” It was this childhood nickname, love of dogs and Anderson’s interest in the cold process of handmade soap that made her jump into entrepreneurship and do her own thing.

Inspired by European culture, design and cooking – as well as the idea of using only the most wholesome, basic ingredients in beauty products – Anderson uses only organic ingredients and the old-fashioned method of soap making. Her products cure for a minimum of four weeks from the time they are made before they are available for sale. And it is that time, effort and dedication that truly makes Prunella Soap a Northwest treasure.

But not only does Anderson make this cute soaps, she also has ventured into greeting cards with her other Etsy shop venture CoolJane.

Prunella Soap has been featured on the Martha Stewart Weddings blog, The Huffington Post, Oregon Home Magazine, Etsy Finds, Etsy Dudes & Etsy Gifts and we’re sure these cute gift (or personal) keepsakes will continue making a hit. Currently Prunella Soap can be found on Etsy, or if you are in the Portland area you can stop by:

Betsy and Iya at 2403 NW Thurman, or Tender Loving Empire at 412 SW 10th Avenue.

The media conversation about whether premium denim is worth the expense, and if the high end jeans market will sustain itself, is one which has been a constant for the past several years.

We first took notice of the debate in a 2006 op-ed from NY-based Psychopedia.com, which predicted the death of premium denim, based on a perceived closing of the gap between the quality of inexpensive and premium denim. One of their core arguments relied on American Apparel, seemingly unstoppable at the time, who was preparing to launch a fashion forward, made in U.S.A. denim line in the neighborhood of $60 (we all know how that story has gone). Last June, a Consumer Reports study comparing premium, mid-range, and inexpensive denim brands went as far as saying that “marketers might deserve a special place in hell for turning blue jeans into a luxury item”. Studying fabric shrinkage, fabric quality, and construction, they claimed there was not a huge difference between the price points, and concluded that consumers “pay a lot for fashion and hidden details. Buy what pleases you.”

Most recently, the Wall Street Journal revisited the debate in July, breaking down the line by line costs of a pair of True Religion Jeans, from fabric to hardware to labor, to explain why a pair of jeans might retail for as much as $375.00 or more. The Journal did a fine job of explaining how hard costs add up: premium denim companies source fabric, rivets, leather, and other materials, and then manufacture the final product here in the states. Based on a total of these costs, the companies set a wholesale price and a suggested retail price to the consumer.

But even these articles fail to consider some additional considerations that set premium denim apart.

First, all materials are not created equal. Much like you pay extra for organic produce in the grocery store or farmer’s market, the highest quality denim, with the best stretch recovery and structural integrity, fetches a premium price. Even if the construction is flawless, using a lower quality denim sacrifices quality. For HABITUAL, we source only the finest quality denims woven from the highest quality cotton.

Another factor is that “Made in the U.S.A.” does not necessarily mean “Handmade in the U.S.A.” If you have seen the video of our Glory pocket being made (2 minutes, edited down from what is actually a much longer process), true premium jeans are sewn by hand according to a very specific design specification. Even after the hand sewing is completed, we often add an additional wash process, hand whiskering, hand distressing, or other treatment such as coating that requires an additional expertise and craftsmanship.

While HABITUAL does have core styles that stay in the line for seasons, many of them get new washes, new finishes, new fabric treatments, and even new fits season to season. For most of the 20th century, blue jeans were made for work. Slowly, jeans became a staple of American style, and later, models like Brooke Shields made jeans into must have fashion items. We introduce a Fall, Holiday, Resort, and Spring line every year to keep up with the most current wants and needs of the consumer and remain relevant within trend cycles. A lot of time and work goes into the seasonality of premium denim. And getting these seasonal changes right requires a best in class design team (another expense) and the right sales team to get the product distributed (yet another expense). And this is all before a single dollar goes into marketing.

But beyond all of the expenses, there is an intangible, experiential element that the right pair of jeans brings. Much like having a really special meal, it is about more than just the taste of the food and the best ingredients. It’s a total experience, the care that goes into preparation and presentation, the service you receive in the restaurant, and the meaning you bring to the meal personally, as the meal invoked memories of childhood or brings you back to a first date. Our goal is for the HABITUAL brand to spark an emotional response, because the customer knows the dedication and care that goes into the whole production process.

This is why we are confident in the stability of the premium denim market. There will always be a consumer that demands the best quality denim from premium brands like HABITUAL, because they understand the value of having a high quality product where no expense is spared, and where all the elements matter. And there will always be the customer who enjoys the emotional experience of finding the perfect pair. Our hope is that the care we put into a pair of HABITUAL separates us not only from  less expensive denim brands, but from other premium lines as well.

Stylish, Portland-based coffee shop Stumptown Coffee Roasters is known for its hip décor, even hipper baristas, and an obsession with coffee rivaled only by the oenophiles. While the coffee itself can’t come from the U.S. (with the exception of Hawaii, coffee doesn’t survive here), the mini-chain was developed and grown by founder Duane Sorenson in Portland, OR.

Except for one New York café in the lobby of the Ace Hotel at 29th and Broadway, all Stumptown locations are in Portland, but the New York Times reports that Stumptown is now primed to expand to Brooklyn, Chicago and San Francisco, thanks to a new investment. Just like indy bands that go commercial, the loyalists are up in arms and implying that Sorenson is a sellout, but we’re excited to add a bit of diversity into the coffee bar marketplace. We hope to hear similar news from Chicago/LA based Intelligentsia soon!

Stumptown borrows it’s brand name from an old Portland nickname, which became part of the vernacular in the 1840’s, as the city rapidly expanded outward and tree stumps were left on the middle of the roads. Check out the Stumptown website for a really great brewing guide that shows you how to make the perfect cup at home, no matter what kind of equipment you have.

Today we’re reviewing Skinnygirl Margarita. Just kidding! But seriously, it’s actually not that bad…

If you are in a bit of a tougher mood this weekend, Bulleit Bourbon is a proper small-batch Kentucky Bourbon that’s perfect for mixing. The brand traces its roots back to the 1830’s, when a Louisville barkeep named Augustus Bulleit created the original recipe, but the brand disappeared for over 100 years until his great grandson revived the label in 1987. The brand is now largely run by LA’s own Hollis Bulleit, the next generation Bulleit who currently serves as spokeswoman. Bulleit is aged in oak barrels, and with 30% rye content, it has a smoky, smooth flavor with hints of vanilla. It retails in the $20 range. In case you didn’t get your fix during last weekend’s Kentucky Derby, they have a great Mint Julep recipe on the website. Just be careful - it’s 90 proof and after a couple of these you’ll need to find a ride home. Like all Bourbon – which the U.S. Congress declared a “distinctive product of the United States” in 1947, it is distilled and bottled here at home.

We really love the design of the bottle. It takes classic elements like a flask shape, raised glass detailing, and antique font style, and makes it modern with a plastic and cork stopper and miminalist labeling. You will probably notice it the next time you are at the bar.

We have a soft spot for other brands that are handmade in the US, and speaking of soft, you may have heard of, or even tried, an American-made cheese known as Humboldt Fog. Described as an  elegant, soft, surface ripened cheese, Humboldt Fog is made by Cypress Grove Chevre in Arcata, CA, a small town in Northern Humboldt County. The company specializes in making small batches of handcrafted goat’s milk cheeses with as little use of mechanical equipment as possible.

The founder of Cypress Grove Chevre, Mary Keehn, started raising goats for milk in the 1970’s when nearly all goat cheese available in the states was imported from Europe. What started as an attempt to find a nutritious source of milk for her children, eventually turned into a love of making cheese. Cypress Grove cheeses have won numerous awards, most recently a Best in Class at the World Championship Cheese Contest for the Humboldt Fog.

The creative names they have chosen for cheeses such as Purple Haze, Lamb Chopper, and Bermuda Triangle give us a laugh, and we also love the fun facts on the website. Where else could we learn that a baby goat is called a kid, or that love of cheese is called ‘turophilia’? You can find Humboldt fog and other Cypress Grove Chevre cheese at local restaurants or on their online store.

One of the things we are really proud of at HABITUAL is that every pair of jeans is conceived, designed, and handmade in USA. Right in Los Angeles, actually. From cutting and sewing, down to attaching hardware and shipping them to retail, it’s all done here at home. So we have a special affinity for other brands that represent American craftmanship to their core. One brand giving great weight to the “Made in America” tag is Esquivel shoes, which are also handmade here in California.  While it’s a safe bet to buy a pair of shoes that say ”Made in Italy” inside the tongue or on the sole, it is hard to challenge the impeccable quality of Esquivel’s footwear.

Most of their designs feature classic shapes, with a touch of whimsy or unconventional bit of color to set them apart.  This incredible video from the Esquivel website will give you a better understanding of their attention to detail, and exactly what it means to be handmade in the U.S.A.

Esquivel from David Hubert on Vimeo.