In the Dutch language, the phrase “de Sjaak zijn” carries a quiet sense of resignation. It means being the unlucky one, the person left to deal with the consequences of something gone wrong. Within the walls of Hul le Kes, those words have always held a very different, personal meaning: Sjaak Hullekes, our co-founder and creative director.
But today, those two meanings collide in our new Collectable Series Nº V. Because if we don’t start caring more, we are all de Sjaak.
It begins with what is already there. High-quality textiles are given a second life by combining this post-consumer ecological cotton with carefully selected patches from discarded shirts. We found a new purpose for surplus fabrics and discarded Yumeko jersey bedding by creating these Duchamp T-Shirts.
Every T-Shirt in this Collectable Series passes through the hands of the makers in our Studios. Individually numbered and stencilled by hand, every piece is different; guided by serendipity and the fabric’s unique history. There will never be another exactly like yours. This is what we consider new luxury, bearing the marks of the makers with social and environmental purpose.
What if a T-shirt could quietly show what you believe in, just by simply wearing the message and carrying it into the world? We Are De Sjaak is a subtle protest and an invitation to stand for something together.
It is clothing that carries a message about what we want to preserve. If we want future generations to experience the same beauty that surrounds us today, caretaking can no longer remain passive towards people, materials and the environment.
By wearing this Collectable Series Duchamp T-Shirt, you become part of that message. A active statement of care, crafted from what is already here.
WE ARE DE SJAAK.
IF WE DON’T START CARING MORE.
