What does 340gsm mean?
What does 340gsm actually mean in a hoodie? We break down fabric weight, durability, and why heavier cotton matters if you want clothes that last.
Close-up macro of 340gsm organic cotton hoodie fabric showing dense weave and structure, featuring Lilith’s Corsage.
GSM stands for grams per meter. It’s a measure of fabric weight.
The higher the number, the denser and heavier the fabric.
Is higher GSM better?
Not always. If you wore a 340gsm t-shirt in summer, you would melt.
Durability isn’t just about weight. It’s about construction, fibre quality, and how a garment is put together. But weight matters
Why 340gsm?
340gsm sits at the heavy end of everyday wear. It resists thinning at stress points, it holds its shape, it feels structured, it survives life and washing cycles.
Our 340gsm hoodies and sweaters are made from 50% recycled organic cotton and 50% organic cotton. Recycled cotton reduces waste input; organic cotton reduces chemical load.
Sustainability without durability is theatre.
Whether it’s a day-old button up that’s buttons have come off, or a sweater twists and thins and is unusable in 6 months, circularity doesn’t matter. Longevity comes first.
Why doesn’t everyone talk about gsm?
You don’t really need to. If something feels good enough, that’s usually enough. I care because everything in my cupboard that has been made with consideration, particularly organic cotton, I still have, so many decades later. A sweater that is as good now, as it was in 2012.
I want my clothes to live with me.
Like finding something at the back of a cupboard years later and it still feels epic.
We can do better than garments that fade or break after one wash.
It matters.
The Story Behind Our Art: Building the Mongrel Logic™ Universe
Some of the artwork in our Core range was first drawn in the 90s. This is how old sketches evolve into sustainable streetwear and how the Mongrel Logic™ universe builds from the archive outward.
Original lines, translated into thread. The archive, made tangible.
Mongrel Logic didn’t begin as a product line. It began with drawings.
Some of the artwork in our Core range was drawn in the 90’s and early 2000s. Long before hoodies and brands. In fact, what kicked this all off was drawing the embroidery for our Signature cap, more on that another day.
Flaws are as important as perfection.
Keeping the art close to its original form matters, not polishing away the awkwardness, not correcting every detail. Letting the lines stay human. Time will tell if the idea is sound or not. Re-working drawings without erasing where they came from, and building them a future, has been one of the most satisfying parts of all of this.
We are ‘the’ weirdos, mister.
I’m not apologising for it. Art has informed everything from the design of the first cap to the current development of the designer range. Testing art on textiles is the most fun I’ve had in years. Watching something once trapped in a notebook move into fabric feels like unlocking a small universe.
Art is the foundation. Form is the future.
Using my antique, vintage, almost cave-era drawings gives us a clear starting point. Not everyone understands the purple weird monster immediately, that’s fine. It’s supposed to be fun. It’s supposed to feel slightly unfamiliar. It isn’t made for everyone.
Serious comes next.
Right now, it lives simply. A sweater. A graphic. A familiar softness. I put on my own Logic Descends sweatshirt and feel the soft fabric settle. The drawing sits there quietly, carrying two decades of history with it.
This is how the universe builds.
From the archive outward. From the monsters under my bed, to the fabric you can’t say no to.
Testing organic growth, not just organic cotton.
What does it mean to test organic growth properly? No shortcuts. No boosts. Starting from zero and building a sustainable streetwear system deliberately.
Close-up photograph of my dirt-covered hand placing small marbles on asphalt, symbolising starting from zero and organic growth.
Part of my early strategy is to test organic growth. Our small social accounts have only just found their full vocabulary, and testing has started.
Instagram stats are not a healthy place to live in.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s fun. I’m up for the challenge. But, playing a medium-to-long-term game while looking at daily stats is a bit like watching an hourglass fill, one grain of sand at a time. That part is dull as anything. Luckily, not tied to my personal sense of power or validation, but absolutely tied to planning and upcoming projects.
A Game of Follows.
Sorry…couldn’t help myself. Why am I being such a dick about doing it the hard way? Well, I can’t fully test the financial sustainability of the system without starting with zero. It’s a lot to explain in a short blog, but part of what I am testing is the zero-start-up (or near zero, let’s face it) cost philosophy as well. But I did start the blog, before all of this was born, with nothing. Free documents, free versions, free everything.
How am I avoiding burnout?
I’ve planned. Most of the end of 2025 was spent documenting, taking pictures of our prints and garments in real life. I have endless content to use; the hard part is putting it together in a way that is legible.
I’m not so good with patience.
I wish there were another two of me. But we’d need to be able to tell each other apart so one of them is a cyclops and the other has snakes for hair. Read into that, what you will. I just mean sheer workload and ability to make time to be able to separate myself from it for long enough to have a good idea. That’s tough.
Speaking of good ideas.
I’m currently working on the latest design. I’ve been recording some of the process, not sure what I’ll share yet, but, fuck ja, if organic growth and slogging sounds familiar to you then join me why don’t you?
Why we’re building the engine before the designer range.
Why Mongrel Logic is building the engine before the designer range, proof before expression, growth without debt, and time as part of the design.
Abstract hand-drawn black hole sketch representing time, gravity, and systems pulling inward, an early visual study tied to the foundations of Mongrel Logic.
Every brand would love to start with the hero product, the piece that looks like the brand. We do too, but for us that’s the destination, not the starting point.
This isn’t just about organic cotton.
It’s about organic growth. Everything you see here has been built without investors, without paid promotion and without shortcuts. Not because those things are inherently wrong, but because designing out waste is the backbone of how this business works. Including financial waste.
Proof of concept before expression.
Building the engine first has allowed us to test out the logic of the system early. Not just sustainability, but design language, production decisions and how the work is received. It’s also how early signals are built.
It’s a way to learn without burning capital, and to refine without panic. This is how the Designer range gets funded without debt, without rushed decisions, and without compromising the thing its meant to be.
Starting at the “wrong” end.
Most brands build authorship and architecture after they launch, often because the first product has been funded. As it stands today, this little business has no debt, and that’s an intentional constraint. It means doing things in a different order. At times the harder order.
Mongrel Logic.
There’s a reason this business is called Mongrel Logic. I am Mongrel Logic.
It’s frustrating to work with systems that reward speed over thought. But it’s also incredibly effective at testing whether something can hold its shape.
Time is part of the design.
Time.
And we’re right back to the first blog and where this all started. Time to build the engine. Time to see what holds. Time.
The designer range is coming. Not as a gamble, but the next logical phase.
On a personal note. I’m not good at time. I’d rather walk than wait to catch the bus. I’ll get there faster.
A Carnival of Creation.
There is something freeing about being this early. No one’s watching. Nothing breaks. A studio note on creation, mistakes, and learning what to remove.
Black and white photo of the studio desk.
This is what this has felt like.
In a good way…And now I have Dimmu Borgir stuck in my head.
Acrobatics aside…
(Carnival.) I forgot to put worms out for the birds. Ah well, tomorrow.
There is something freeing about being this early. No one’s watching, really. Which makes developing clarity a lot more fun because there is zero external pressure. Nothing breaks, you know?
That doesn’t mean that fuck-ups are never a threat.
I have sat here till 2am fixing errors, only to notice at 11am, that 2am is no time to bloody fix errors. But it does mean that it’s basically me, the dogs and the cat that know about it. Phew.
There is no time like now.
Most of the time now is spent removing, not adding. Which is strangely much harder to do. In practical terms. Less is more but knowing which less is less is much harder to do.
Circus Tent is up.
Oops swapped continents. But it’s fully erect. (Clears throat.)
Bally, bally, bally.
All this circus talk. Step right up. What’s inside?
Designing for Endurance.
Endurance isn’t a look. It’s a commitment. Designing for endurance means building under real constraints, material, human, economic and refusing to pass the cost on to someone else.
Timeless used to be a look that stood the test of time. A quality piece that survived seasons because it outlived its moment. That definition no longer holds.
The quality no longer holds, and the silhouette has gone from timeless to time stamped.
Endurance is practical, not poetic.
Founder working at desk
Designing for endurance begins when you accept reality as the client. Use, time, money, labour and consequence. It shows up in stitching that doesn’t come undone, zips that don’t fail. And it extends beyond the object to the grower, picker, maker; if you’re forced to undercut yourself to remain viable, that fragility is built into the product from the start. Calling something sustainable doesn’t correct that. Paying properly does.
Endurance forces business change.
Most design avoids endurance because it forces long term thinking and costs short term gains. Designing for endurance means not offloading these questions onto the customer. It means building systems through aftercare, design and partnership, where responsibility remains with the maker. Where products can be returned, reused, recycled or passed on without becoming someone else’s problem. Where a product can become an heirloom rather than landfill. This way of working doesn’t fit neatly into traditional business expectations. It doesn't align well (yet) with shareholder pressure or growth that depends on constant replacement. That friction isn’t accidental, it’s the point.
Endurance changes the customer relationship.
Not through constant novelty, but through trust. Inviting return not just to buy but to see what has been built next. Through meaning, innovation, and designs that aren’t shaped by hype but instead carry weight, story, ethos and credibility. Ultimately, it’s about responsibility. About refusing artificial exclusivity. And not treating the customer like a cash cow or dishonouring their custom.
Endurance is non-negotiable.
Designing for endurance is not a claim of purity or perfection. It’s a commitment to build under real constraints, economic, material, human and to redefine those choices and the consequences. Redesigning them so there is meaning and reward instead. Selling products that aren’t a lie. That thinking is already being tested in what we’re building now, under real constraints.
Sustainable Streetwear Isn’t a Trend; It’s a Systems Problem.
Sustainability isn’t failing because people don’t care.
It’s failing because responsibility has been pushed to the weakest part of the system. This is a systems problem, not a trend problem.
Systems don’t change themselves.
Sustainability is being treated as a consumer responsibility instead of a system responsibility.
We’ve outsourced accountability downward, to customers, to workers, to suppliers, while profit stays safely at the top. It’s infuriating. And it’s everywhere.
Sustainability talk is booming while quality collapses.
Choice is increasing. Longevity is not. You don’t need to be a designer to notice it. Groceries shrink. Clothes thin. Products fail faster. That contradiction isn’t accidental, it’s engineered. And it shouldn’t be acceptable.
We are not at the end of a solution. We’re at the start of a very long curve.
Sustainability fails the moment it asks the weakest part of the chain to carry the most responsibility.
Fast platforms. Endless drops. “Capsule wardrobe essentials” released weekly. Externalised costs dressed up as innovation. Profit-first systems with zero consideration for product lifecycles, and even less for people.
This is why Mongrel Logic exists as an outlier.
When I first sketched the Designer range, the goal wasn’t to make a cap. It was to make something that lasts a lifetime, with a traceable lifecycle and no future landfill. Not just something you wear, but something that rewires how you think about what you wear. That thinking is already being tested quietly in what we’re building now.
True sustainability isn’t boring.
Yes, it can be slow. Yes, it can be unsexy. It involves trade-offs. It involves constraints. It involves admitting what you don’t control.
But working inside limits isn’t a compromise, it’s a test. A test of whether new ways of thinking, working, and creating are possible without pushing profit upwards and damage cascading down.
Most systems won’t even try. I will.
Baaplrvlsrsppdtedpdspot.
A month of studio work doesn’t always have a name. This is an attempt to give one to everything that happens before a launch feels real.
Founder (me) drawing the latest design, Lilith’s Corsage
I know it’s not a word, but it’s the best one I have for everything I have been doing over the past month. Brand architecture and authorship, practice-led research, visual language systems, reflective studio practice, platform dynamics, threshold and entry design, process documentation, and sustaining practice over time.
Which all sounds very fancy for a fuck-ton of work.
And it has been. But every month that goes by, I refine this little system and fine tune it and it’s really starting to look like what I had in my head. It’s been hugely frustrating at times. Some research is still going nowhere due to the nature of what I am trying to build, I am early. Being early means I need to define, not copy. And do it in a way that I can stand by proudly. When you are the first to do a few things, there is no one else to ask.
Which is equally Great! And terrifying.
Luckily, I am that busy I don’t have a lot of time to think about the terrifying and just focus on the next thing, and the thing after that. It sounds cryptic, and it’s not meant to. Inside my little brain is everything that we are about to launch next. We have three upcoming projects, one of which is the designer range.
All the designs, web development, copy writing, trademarks, legal, fulfilment, packaging, that list above, are all juggling for top spot. I can only pick one thing at a time.
Not to mention Insta, which for the first time is starting to feel like a thing. I can’t tell you how much work has gone into that, far too many 2am finishes.
A strong finish to 2025.
We got our first orders through and our first reviews, I’m living in a world of firsts now. It’s quite fun. And we’re off to a hell of a start for 2026, having ironed out my Baaplrvlsrsppdtedpdspot.
What’s coming in 2026?
This year I’m planning to launch the designer range, where this all started, with Mongrel’s first design, before any of this was a thing, our signature cap. A cap isn’t really a winter thing. I have another two big projects lined up for the next month to three that are in the wider Mongrel universe but not linked to the designer range, more on that later.
Deep breathe and plunge.
As I stand here, right on the edge of the precipice, it’s a very cool place to pause. From this vantage point I can look back and still see everything I have built, to get me where I am now. And I am about to jump off the proverbial cliff (suited up) where I will lose this perspective and gain a new one. I can see everything laid out in front of me, or the possibility of it, and the hard solid ground behind me. It’s still quite peaceful, despite the noise in my head. All of that is about to change.
A Christmas Of Refinement.
I now find myself waking in the night with tension from holding down Ctrl +C and not pasting it, because technically, I’m asleep.
Lilith’s Corsage in progress
Much to the annoyance of everyone around me, the amount of work I have been doing to build this little engine that could, has kept me up so late that I almost saw Santa.
Have you ever dreamed in ctrl c, ctrl v?
Neither had I, until I started building the shop. I now find myself waking in the night with tension from holding down Ctrl +C and not pasting it, because technically, I’m asleep. This should give you some indication of how many alt texts, descriptions, documents, versions, oh my!
The little engine that could.
Four days of drawing later, our latest design, Lilith’s Corsage, is now on the website. I wanted to do a lily, but not floral in the traditional sense. I pulled elements from older drawings and folded them into the piece; that’s where the checkerboard petals come from, for example.
I guess now the test of the dream begins.
Not the ctrl copy and paste dream. The whole thing. I’ve tried breaking it, and it stands. And now I’m about to roll the proverbial boulder down the hill.
Too many metaphors?
This is the first chance I’ve had to flex in two weeks of product design, store development, and endless strategy work. So yes, too many metaphors. My brain is trying to wake up after long hours of repetitive tasks. It’s not quite there yet.
A refined store front and some new pyjamas.
That’s really…a wonderful thing.
Verbal bondage and visual systems.
Naming the work while building it: three characters, a new visual system, and the first time the whole thing can breathe.
AI visual showing the three characters to Mongrel Logic, a small part of the process of developing our visual system.
The tiny problem when you build like I do is the language evolution as I progress. I’ve changed the website more than I have changed outfits this year.
Defining what hasn’t been defined.
Learning how to talk about the three characters I inhabit in this world has been extremely challenging. Every time I refine even the smallest phrase, the knock-on effect of clarity in one area means a complete rewrite in another.
It’s ok, I won in the end.
I have emerged from the wilderness of my own mind, covered in moss, dirt and ichor. But I think I might have finally moulded all these things into one coherent, cohesive story that finally has its visual shit together.
The evidence of our evolution is here for all to see.
I don’t mind that. At all, actually. I have built this from scratch. Whether it’s finding identity in wording, or arguing with myself over flat felled seems and GSM, pattern makers, choosing our manufacturers for the limited editions; it’s been one hell of a journey to be able to stand here next to a thing that looks like a thing. The beginnings of a thing. A ‘th’ if you will.
Mongrel Logic has found its stride.
Which is good because I walk fast. I have not stopped in months. The tiniest bit of wording on the website, image, description, product seen and the coming soon limited-edition range is all occupying my head. All trying to find its mark.
It took a minute, but this is the first time it’s felt like it can breathe.
There is much more coming. And so much more to do. I’ve just finalised a visual identity system. And our next hoodie design is under construction. I’ve just finished rewriting the website again, and for the first time, I think I have a plan for our socials. The AI image above was part of that journey, trying to articulate the three characters of my business. I needed a visual way to help me delineate language and this helped quite a bit.
Mongrel Logic is 2 months old!
Mongrel Logic just turned two months old. From rebuilding the shop to launching our first designs, it’s been wild, painful, brilliant and we’re only getting started.
Mongrel Logic Cupcake with Logo icing (not its not real, how else do you give a website and a brand a cake?)
I’m not going to lie, that was painful. It was fun, but also painful. I have built a shop, rebuilt a website, more times than I can remember, our designs are rolling. Fixed embarrassing errors, all of them, I hope.
We’ve got new designs coming
I’m working on our next design as, well…not as I type that would make me an octopus. But now. Currently.
Now it’s time to spread our wings
It’s been a massive amount of work to get here. I’ve been up till ungodly hours sorting out everything from marketing strategies to future Core Range designs and our Limited-Edition range.
It’s all been worth it.
I started the blog two years ago with no direction and just waffled on for over a year before I developed any of this. I have some loyal bloody crew that have watched me do this from the start and talk about everything from cutting down trees to the thing that sparked the cap idea. I’ve built this in public, which we will continue to do. I started with nothing, I started before the idea, and here we are.
Excited for 2026
There is a lot in store for 2026, we have artists we will feature, we have the designer range, launching next year and will continue to grow our circular, sustainable, deliciously soft organic cotton designs, bringing you circular, wearable art that’s been built to endure.
Subscribe to The Studio Dispatch for more.
That’s our newsletter.
It was hard to stop, this digital cupcake features our first design. I’m hungry now.
A Quick Note on Our Studio Hum
“We adjusted it, shaped it, sped it slightly, and paired it with a bark that sounded exactly like Zen; turning a simple sample into the signature Mongrel Logic™ sound.”
DJ at work
Since changing all my social profiles to business accounts, I can no longer post my videos to my favourite songs, boo! And no disrespect, but it’s hard to find something royalty free that is incredible.
I became an overnight sound designer.
Which was a lot of fun. Finding sounds, editing them, finding samples playing around with layering; weird, random sounds coming out the office. The problem is, it’s very time consuming. And I am all about time saving. So, I made a sound. We have an official sound. My days of sound designing are over.
Our base layer came from a Sample Focus clip called “Gospel Choir Hum” by user2866535286451.
We adjusted it, shaped it, sped it slightly, and paired it with a bark that sounded exactly like Zen; turning a simple sample into the signature Mongrel Logic™ sound.
The shortest career ever
Well, it was fun while it lasted. But I can’t tell you how relieved I am to just be focused on visual content again. It’s cut my content creation time in half. And I’m rather proud of it. Woof.
The Mongrel Logic Shop is fully born
“I’ve just finished our tenth design and am hugely proud to be working with our Queens Award winning third-party production and fulfilment service. Our labels come with a QR code that can be scanned for a discount and returnable for recycling. A circular fashion system.”
Founder (that’s me) wearing the signature tee
I lead the end-to-end creative direction, product development, brand strategy, and digital ecosystem build. I feel like Dorothy caught in a whirling Tornado, but there is no Kansas, just Instagram and Algorithms.
And our baby teeth fell out.
The teething stage is now. I’ve just finished our tenth design and am hugely proud to be working with our King’s Award winning third-party production and fulfilment service. Our labels come with a QR code that can be scanned for a discount and returnable for recycling. A circular fashion system. I am doing my part to eliminate fashion waste.
Vintage art on nice, thick, soft…fabric.
It’s an incredibly exciting time; our early designs feature literal vintage artwork reimagined, and the shop is starting to look like a real shop. There is so much more to come, I have a few feature artists lined up and more information to follow soon.
The next phase is even bigger
Obviously, I need to make some noise. Our tiny audience: are the ones who knew from the start. The ones who saw me come up with all of this on the old blog and website and hung around for a month while we moved. Legends.
From circular fashion to designer range
I’m working closely with experts in the field to develop patterns and fabrics; all while designing the core range. I do wish I could show you more, and I will very soon but for now it’s all under wraps.
Thanks to the OG subscribers
Just wanted to finish by saying a huge thanks to the people who have been in this little world with me from the start.
Wearable logic. Circular by design.
“The solutions already exist. One of them is our Queens award winning Third-party production and fulfilment service. Everything we make is organic cotton, dyed with a process clean enough to produce drinkable water; and every piece is fully recyclable when it reaches the end of your story with it.”
First life: catching golden-hour wind on a skater’s back. Next life? Whoever needs it next. Clothes should travel; not landfill.
If we were all to have a penny for the world’s problems right now, we’d have a lot of pennies. I’m not here to lecture you. We know. By now we all know. We’ve all been told to quit, and we’re all out back smoking thirty at once.
But we can do better than 90 million tons of textile waste.
The good news? The solutions already exist. One of them is our King’s Award winning Third-party production and fulfilment service. Everything we make is organic cotton, dyed with a process clean enough to produce drinkable water; and every piece is fully recyclable when it reaches the end of your story with it.
Circular Fashion is the future.
Not in a trending way. In a logical way. A single garment can serve multiple lives:
· a first owner
· a second owner
· a second-hand market
· and finally, Remill; where it’s respun into something new
Remember hand-me-downs? Cousins’ shirts? Clothes used to travel. Fast fashion and poor quality are what broke that system.
Recycling textiles is just the beginning.
For me, the ethos behind the build has been the backbone of everything, from designing the world’s most amazing cap (coming in 2026) to choosing our fulfilment service. Organic. Circular. Sustainable. Renewable energy.
Not buzzwords; decisions.
Organic, Circular, Sustainable, Renewable Energy
It’s as much about what I want to see as what fashion should be. Something that can be passed down from generation to generation, or something that can serve a second life on a market elsewhere. Not end up in landfill.
Built with purpose
And with Mongrel Logic.
Logic Descends: The Origin Story of the Second Design.
“Some things change. Some things don’t.
And sometimes, the things you made decades ago find their way back home.”
It was 2002. I was 23. Aw. Or Aaah. Not sure which.
A night of Skull Monkeys & Resident Evil
I was housesitting and spent an evening drawing, playing Skull Monkeys, and watching the first Resident Evil. That’s when I drew Logic Descends. She didn’t have a name then. I drew two versions that night. I kept both
Enter: Attempted Burglary at 3AM
Much later, I was woken up by the sound of a crowbar hitting a metal gate. I switched the lights on. They ran. Cops came. Life went on.
Make of that what you will.
Logic Descends… or Angel?
You decide. When I revived her for Mongrel Logic, I kept her mostly as she was, her face is new, the animalistic stance, the sharp energy, the slightly feral wings, they’re the same.
She’s a piece of my early creative DNA.
2002 Time Capsule
This is me from the same year (and my brother); oversized jumper, corduroy’s (I know) too big. Basically… still me.
Some things change. Some things don’t. And sometimes, the things you made decades ago find their way back home.
More designs (and more stories from the vault) coming soon.
Look ma, I made a hoodie!
“I’m not here to debate ghosts. SEO’s going to hate this because it makes no sense. But I’ve thrown out my second rulebook and built something new.”
The build begins. One eye, one line, one rule broken.
I’ve only just stopped dreaming in web build, waking up in the middle of the night feeling like I’ve been holding down ctrl shift or something for hours. There are two things happening simultaneously.
The Shop Is Open
I somehow managed to pull that all together in a day and a half. And I’m loving every minute of it. Ok, maybe not so much the stress part; but I have gotten better at managing everything. As it stands, I am a non-conformist. I’m the guy that pushes the red button that says do not push. OK, I’m not that dumb but when I am told no, I usually pick it up and go- ok but why?
Rebel with a cause.
My cause is not unique, it’s essential. We all know we need to improve everything from fashion to well, everything. ‘Lest we all end up like Mad Max. So, I’m not going to bang on about that, other than to say that developing products that last is incredibly important to me. It took months of research before choosing Teemill, and I am eagerly awaiting my first sample, I’ll share as soon as it arrives. I cannot wait to launch our designer range. To say I’ve been working hard is an understatement. I used to talk to people about stars, actual ones not the Hollywood kind, and now the only thing that comes out of my mouth is related to building, design or vision.
I’ve had to start watching Ghost Adventures again as a way of switching off.
There’s nothing like Aaron’s “whoa’s” to take your head out of reality. I’m not here to debate ghosts though. I am here to say I watch things like this to escape, and I’ve just finished a series, the first in almost a decade, thank you Peacemaker. I don’t have time nor the inclination to watch six episodes just for a bit of story and ten to get to the big action sequence. I haven’t watched any series aside from maybe the pilot in years. Kudos.
Although would I have watched it if John Cena wasn’t in it?
Doubt I would have clicked. Clearly, I don’t want to talk about work, I’m due to finish a design today, hopefully bring it to you asap, and I started writing this last night talking all business and it made my eyes water and my brain go all squirmy.
If this sounds like the kind of fashion you’re into
Bwaahahahahahaha. SEO is going to hate this because it makes no sense. But I’ve just thrown out my second rule book. If you weren’t around for the old blog, the last time I threw out a rulebook I built this. This time I drop kicked it out. Boom. I’d rather innovate than copy, hopefully, I’m not a complete idiot and this all works out nicely. So far, I’ve built a business in a few short months. And launched it. So…hold my beer. Wait, was that a ghost?
Built to Endure: The Test Run
“I’ve been saying for weeks that you’re not going to want to miss the cap, and you’re not going to want to miss the first drop from Mongrel Logic either. Watch this space closely for more, follow along, subscribe, turn around, touch your nose. (Telepathically activates FOMO)”
Close-up black-and-white photograph of human eyes featuring vivid multicolour irises in turquoise, green, and magenta; representing the Mongrel Logic visual identity and first product drop in development
This week was a turning point. Sitting here trying to write this after redefining our socials, changing our name(domain), developing content and designing streetwear, I’m not going to lie, is painful. Having an overloaded brain is not conducive to writing. But work is not done.
It ain’t over till the diva sings
That one was due an upgrade. And it’s most certainly not over, we’re just beginning. We’re moments away from the first drop and a test run on Mongrel Logic. Suddenly, what felt like it was 3 months away is suddenly a few sleeps away.
Don’t panic, 42.
It’s been part mild panic and frantic output combined with pivots and reversals. But honestly, the thing that has always worked for me has been just focusing on the next baby step, and the one after that.
The first drop is about to…well…drop.
The first Mongrel Logic products; the hoodies, are officially in testing and heading for launch. The Signature Edition Cap is still the North-Star, but this is the trial run. The test of the system.
First hoodies, then caps, then world domination
I clearly watched too much Pinky and The Brain growing up.
Shop Launching Soon
I’ve been saying for weeks that you’re not going to want to miss the cap, and you’re not going to want to miss the first drop from Mongrel Logic either. Watch this space closely for more, follow along, subscribe, turn around, touch your nose. (Telepathically activates FOMO)
Building the best cap in the world.
“Beyond all the big-world chaos, this started from something simple: I had nothing to wear.
I don’t wear make-up daily. I walk dogs. I get covered in mud. I live in trackies, hoodies, and caps; but that doesn’t mean I want to look like I’ve raided a jumble sale. They just don’t make what I need or want. So, I’m making it.”
Designer drawing embroidery artwork for the Mongrel Logic™ Signature Cap.”
I know; that’s a bold claim; any day now I half-expect Elf to burst through the door and congratulate me. Just kidding. Mostly.
Still, it hasn’t deterred me from trying. Defining it. Creating it. Drawing the embroidery. Designing the fabric. Agonising over the tiniest details for days on end; a seam, for instance, or the jacquard I keep changing my mind about, or a two-day internal debate about GSM.
When an idea becomes a movement.
Turns out I’m full of bold claims. But this isn’t just about making a cap that lasts a lifetime; it’s about building a movement.
A business that’s profitable, scalable, and creates space for other talent to shine too.
I’ve spent months developing a product designed to outlast trend cycles; something that’s wearable art, not fast fashion.
If you like the idea of clothing that can be passed down, if you love luxury but walk dogs too much to Dolce that shit, and if streetwear lives in your bones, stick around.
The cap that changed everything.
I never imagined I’d end up here. The last time I tried to kick this off, the pandemic happened. Somewhere between exhaustion and obsession, this project became the thing that kept me going.
Beyond all the big-world chaos, this started from something simple: I had nothing to wear.
I don’t wear make-up daily. I walk dogs. I get covered in mud. I live in trackies, hoodies, and caps; but that doesn’t mean I want to look like I’ve raided a jumble sale. They just don’t make what I need or want. So, I’m making it.
So when it the bloody cap getting here?
Soon. I can’t say much yet, things are still moving, but if all goes to plan, before the year’s out.
It’s a luxury cap built to last a lifetime. The embroidery artwork alone took over 35 hours, the fabric design even longer. Every detail has been considered to make it look and feel like the best cap in the world; durable, timeless, and eco-friendly.
More updates are coming
One thing on my never-ending to-do list: a newsletter. I’ll have it live in the next week or so.
If this sounds like your thing, stick around. When you see the cap, you’ll want to be in the loop for future drops; because this is just the beginning.
If you want to be one of the first to own the first-ever Mongrel Logic™ cap, sign up when the newsletter lands and follow along on socials.
Bathroom Floor Brilliance: A Late Night Thought on Mental Health and Ingenuity
“There are nowhere near enough mental health workers in Africa, I admire this kind of ingenuity.”
AI artwork of a woman dreaming about bright ideas; a reflection on mental health and ingenuity
Ok, full disclosure. It’s 00:01. I am sitting on the bathroom floor whilst running a bath trying to finish everything I needed to get done today. This short blog post being the final task. So, with one eye open, I wanted to share this quick story.
Mental Health is still a taboo topic.
More in certain parts than others. I read about an initiative in Africa over my morning coffee, where they are training hairdressers, salon owners and the like in counselling. How to spot domestic violence, depression and what to say or do when people confide.
Brilliant solutions to complex problems.
There are nowhere near enough mental health workers in Africa, I admire this kind of ingenuity. I’m no expert, I read this in passing but thought these are the kinds of things we need to see, not only in Africa, but arguably everywhere there is a need to upskill those already in a position to do something about it. An inspiring idea that so far seems to be working. Pleasant dreams.
Chasing confidence down the rabbit hole.
“Despite having tons of ideas and projects upcoming and a to do list longer than Hercules-Corona Borealis Great Wall; I still sit here staring at a blank page for two hours and wonder what the hell I am doing.”
AI artwork of a multicoloured rabbit inspired by Alice in Wonderland, symbolising creative confidence
Confidence is never a constant companion. It’s like a magical rabbit that appears occasionally and then vanishes, leaving behind the smell of rainbows. Confidence is hard and no one can do it for you.
Self-help or imaginary rabbits?
I was the type of person to read every self-help guru out there. In my fixation I have been down more rabbit holes than I care to admit. Positive affirmations are cute. But they will not change your monthly income. Doing something about it will though.
When I started The Pavement Special, I didn’t put my name up. I didn’t post photos. I had no confidence in what I was doing; because I had no idea where it was going.
I was extremely fed up of thinking about all these ideas that I couldn’t fund. I was sick of thinking that I can only start something when…when I have the money, when I have the right job.
I’m still waiting for those things, if I had continued to wait, there would be no Mongrel anything.
Confidence isn’t always flowing
I am not sitting here the other side of a bank balance that affords me this opportunity, dictating to you. Quite the contrary, I’m sitting here fighting for it. I work 7 days a week.
My husband always says, “You need to chill, you never chill”.
Despite having tons of ideas and projects upcoming and a to do list longer than Hercules-Corona Borealis Great Wall; I still sit here staring at a blank page for two hours and wonder what the hell I am doing.
If I am doing it right, if I said it right, should I have done that instead, turquoise or amethyst? Confidence isn’t always flowing, and I literally can’t afford for it not to.
That clock doesn’t slow down for anyone, not even a magic rabbit.
When you realise you put your laptop-stand upside down.
My husband might not be wrong.
Case in point; I spent the past few months using my laptop stand upside down. Don’t ask, but yup. You know that feeling when you realise you are an idiot?
Rainbow coloured rabbit droppings
While the magical rabbit Confidence is not a mainstay feature. It’s crucial to learn off that rabbit and be your own cheerleader. No one is going to tell you that you are magical, and if they do, well, lucky you. (Now I’m thinking of Aurora, the singer not the borealis, lol)
So, I guess I’m hunting rabbits.
Metaphorically speaking. That’s the only rabbit hole worth playing in. Confidence isn’t “I think my cap is the best in the world”; it’s working to design the best cap in the world. I might not do it, but maybe, that bloody rabbit pops up while I’m working on it.
Chase the work. The rabbit shows up when it wants.