Friday, January 14

joneswares

Joneswares is a Massachusetts based manufacturer of wool clothing for men and women's cycling, running and outdoor activities. Baselayers and some outerwear too but all focused on using merino wool. 100% merino wool where appropriate and some 100% organic merino wool (that stuff from O-Wool). Other more techy outwear too, e.g. wool faced with MAPP TechR fabric -that is a two layer knit featuring a wind and water resistant recycled nylon outer layer. All JONESwares products are made in the USA.

The pieces are in various wool weights; ultralightweight: 150 gm weight, lightweight: 195 gm weight, medium weight: 270 gm weight, and heavy weight: 400 gm. With colors like Black, Cream, Navy, Red, Chocolate, Crimson, Olive, Sage, Tan, Eggplant, Grape...





Back in her early days of cycling, [Deb Jones] Bachrach, along with her father, Lester Jones, searched high and low for warm, comfortable clothing that fit. “There were no female specific cycling clothes,” said Bachrach. Grace Jones, Bachrach’s mother, was officiating racing events at that time and decided--if you can’t buy them, make them.

She [Grace] broke out the sewing machine and started designing cycling clothes for her daughter and husband. Word traveled quickly around the race track, launching the original Jones Cycle Wear in 1973. The Jones’ provided wool cycling clothing to bike riders all over the country for 17 years. Customers called in their measurements and Grace would customize a perfect fit. Unfortunately, in1990 the onset of Alzheimer’s disease took Grace Jones away from her machine and the family decided to close the shop.

Last November [2007], Deb and her sister, Lynn Jones Peredina, brought their parent’s business back to life.
–via cool running