A Fish Out of Water
San Francisco artist Peter Federico has always loved Japanese design — especially the popular Japanese fish kites called koinobori (“carp streamers”), traditional symbols of success that families fly above their houses on Boy’s Day (May 5).
Koinobori hung above Peter’s bed as a boy; they hang above his bed today. Does Peter dig koinobori? You bet.
In fact, he wanted to create a garment that looked like one. A garment that could transform a person into a koi fish — as much as possible without genetic modification, that is. So, after more than two years of planning, he teamed up with Betabrand to create the limited-edition Koi Hoodie.
We started off with thick and cozy 100% cotton fleece. A local printer painstakingly silkscreened Peter’s tri-color carp design — the colors were precisely formulated to match those of an
actual koinobori — onto pieces of hoodie fabric that were then sewn together in our little S.F. sew shop. For a final touch, we added a red satin “fish mouth” hood lining.
So Betabrand ended up with an astoundingly cool hoodie, as beautiful as it is wearable.
Each hoodie features a screen print of Peter Federico's rich, colorful koinobori design.
And Peter? He got a crash course in the garment industry and probably quite a few headaches along the way. But we all agree it was more than worth it.
We made just 90 Koi Hoodies, so they won’t stay around for long. Order yours today.
The Facts
White Cotton Hoodie
with Koi Screen Print
HOW DOES IT FIT?
The Koi Hoodie fits comfortably, like a standard hoodie — not too big, not too slim.
HOW IS IT SIZED?
Choose your size like you're shopping for a regular ol’ T-shirt. If you're between sizes, we suggest you order a size up.
HOW DO I CARE FOR IT?
Machine wash cold, tumble dry low.
- VITAL STATISTICS
- Made of thick and cozy 100% cotton fleece (prewashed, so it won’t shrink).
- Tri-color koi screen print.
- Red satin "fish lips" hood lining.
- Other bits and pieces: raglan sleeves (for ease of movement), cotton-spandex cuffs and hem (helps keep their shape), dual patch pockets, nylon coil zipper.
