As I look at the road my business life has taken over years, I can see that what has determined my path has been pursuing what I was passionate about. I make things that I'm looking for, source things my family needs and support projects that create the kind of community and world I want for my family to live in. If I had to pick a word that describes Silk Oak, it would probably be Community or Connection. My favorite part of my business is the deep connections that have formed over the last 39 years. Not only do I have connections to my customers but they have formed a worldwide community. There is nothing more lovely than hearing that a customer was in another city or country, wearing their Silk Oak, only to have someone come up to them and say, "Silk Oak, you must be from Ithaca!". Silk Oak is more than just a way for me to make a living. I believe it's possible for business to help create healthier, more vibrant communities.

What's my philosophy? Create the vision of what you want your business to be in your mind and live into it. Remember that everything, no matter how grand, began as an idea. Just as a house begins as a drawing, create the blueprint of your business and build it from there. Let your passion inspire you. Always make time to fill the well, renew your excitement, take time to enjoy the present moment. Don't allow the busywork and details bog you down so that you lose sight of the passion that pulled you into your business to begin with. Remember that you're on a journey. It's not a straight path. There are detours, wash-outs, unexpected pleasant surprises and helpful tour guides. Be prepared to add some extra stops, pick up some new maps and be willing to make changes. Enjoy your journey, you get to choose!

How do we do it? We start by hand-cutting our original screen designs. Each color is registered by eye and hand printed using a separate screen. This results in each and every Silk Oak garment being unique and slightly different from all the others. We use water soluble, environmentally friendly dyes that form a permanent bond with the fibers of the fabric rather than sitting on the surface of the cloth like regular fabric printing ink. After being printed, the garments are machine washed 2-3 times in hot water and dried in the dryer. This means you get a garment with a softer feel, more vibrant color, and easier washability. More importantly, the Silk Oak process is safer for us, safer for our customers and easier on the environment.