Tropical Shirt Hand Made in the Bahamas
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In 1973, at the same time the Bahamas became an independent country, a small cottage industry was formed by Dick and Rosi Birch of Small Hope Bay Lodge. The idea started when they watched a guest occupy children on a rainy day with a batik craft project. This was a product that they reasoned could be unique, colourful, and 100% Bahamian done. Once the fabric was made, it could be sewn into easy care island garments. This would help employ single women with families, an objective that was especially important to the Birches.
They developed the concept that each yard would be hand done. Every print would symbolize a natural element found in the Bahamas, and all the colours would be colours pulled right from the islands.
Every colour still has its origins in the waters, flora and fauna of the Bahamas. Lyford Green is from the beautiful seas off Lyford Cay in Nassau, Shocking Pink is the small line found inside the national flower, the yellow elder, and Cabana Blue is from the boat covers that dot the harbours of Abaco. Every yard is still hand printed and hand dyed and dried under the Bahamian sun.
