up to a year to perfect – means the price points aren’t accessible for
all, starting as they currently do at $92USD for a recycled, recyclable
and biodegradable cotton tee featuring a patch pocket of scrap Ace
fabric right up to $445USD for a billowy off-the-shoulder dress. Brand
new Ace&Jig, then, is not for everyone. But those who can afford
the initial outlay start a domino effect that sees preloved garments
trickle down to the wider community in a chain of swapping, buying
and selling, which means garments rarely lie neglected in the back
of wardrobes and most people can eventually get their hands on a
desired piece at a more manageable price. A thriving online resale
community (again, mostly active on Instagram under the #aceandjig
hashtag – 80k+ posts and counting) ensures new homes are found
for garments, and older – and therefore rarer – textiles are discussed
in the same awed tones as one would speak of antique jewellery or
fine artwork. The ‘share, swap and sell’ mentality of the community is
something the brand actively encourages – as of this year, all Ace&Jig
clothing comes with a swing tag designed like an old library card,
with space for each owner to add their name and date of ownership.
Like so many areas where scarcity is involved (some style and colour-
way combinations are only ordered by one boutique per season,
meaning highly limited numbers are produced), Ace&Jig is a label
for collectors, and many fans agree there’s an addictive quality to
tracking down a desired piece. Some items become ‘unicorns’ –
cult favourite, much-coveted pieces that are the nexus between a
favourite style and textile, and Jenna and Cary say that often fan
favourites are theirs too. In true Ace&Jig fashion, the community’s
vocal requests for a style to be repeated from season to season helps
inform which styles are subsequently rerun.
The strong sense of community surrounding the label has also pro-
vided Cary and Jenna with a powerful platform for activism, and giv-
ing back is an integral part of the brand. The pair use their collective
voice for good – regularly hosting sample sales where proceeds go
to non-profits they support, and organising a different kind of Black
Friday in 2018 that saw them hold an auction of new and gently used
Ace&Jig items, with proceeds split between charities and a member
of the Ace&Jig community who was affected by the Malibu wildfires.
They also recently gave away 400 custom tote bags, made from
leftover fabric, to anyone who sent a screenshot of a $25+ donation
to a selection of charities that support immigrants and reproduc-
tive freedom. “As business owners, citizens and humans, we feel a
responsibility to give back when and where we can,” explains Jenna.
“It helps others and also makes the work we do more meaningful! In
the last year we’ve donated more than $18,000 to organisations we
love and stand behind.”
As well as activism, zero waste is another core pillar of the busi-
ness that’s both prioritised and – again, drawing upon their kaizen
philosophy – continually improved upon. The team find a use for all
their scraps: be it collaborating with artists, cooperatives and other
designers, or with initiatives like their Community Quilt project, which
saw hundreds of volunteers from the community receive a bundle of
Ace scraps from which they created one-of-a-kind quilt squares that
were sewn together to create 13 jumbo quilts.
When it comes to their own wardrobes, Cary and Jenna don’t keep
one of each piece they’ve ever made, preferring to pick only the styles
they know they’ll love and wear often for their personal Ace&Jig col-
lections. For the pair, the joy of creation is now as much tied to the
community they serve as it is the textiles themselves.
“We’re so lucky to have a great and diverse group of individuals share
our diehard love for textiles,” says Jenna, “and to have watched them
connect online and in person in ways we never could have imagined.
We’ve seen strangers connect from abroad, find friends in foreign or
new places, share joys and hardships with each other, and support
each other in these profound ways. It’s been an unexpected joy of the
trade.” Cary agrees that it’s the appreciation for their work that brings
the greatest reward. “Our textiles are extremely heartfelt and unique,
and a little nostalgic,” she says. “We create them to be treasured, and
we’re so glad they are.” ”
“
As business owners, citizens and humans, we feel a
responsibility to give back when and where we can