(new horizon base layer top pictured above)
I sent Heather with Slim Pickins Outfitters a set of New Horizon Base Layers to test out over the winter season and this is what she had to say:
It is rare for me to find a base layer that checks all my boxes. What are the boxes you ask?
Thick waistband that stays put and doesn’t roll down.
No pilling at the thighs.
Reinforcement on the inside seam.
High waisted.
Thick enough to wear as a stand-alone legging or top.
Thin enough to wear under a top layer of clothing.
Luckily for me, Ottomatic Threads New Horizons Base layer set, hits every expectation.
I am always on the go. Whether walking the kids to school in chilly weather, working on our family farm, or running our family business, I am consistently looking for pieces to add to my wardrobe that are functional, comfortable and stylish. The base layers help me to feel confident and comfortable which is an absolute must for me!
As a gal that’s always been thick in the legs and behind area, I have never, not once, found a base layer that fits well while still performing technically. This base layer changed the game for me and I have taken them with me on many adventures.
As a small business owner I know the effort, grit and determination that it takes to put out a product that you feel good about. Alisa at Ottomatic Threads puts her WHOLE heart into the pieces that you wear. Besides being an incredible product, wearing OT supports a small, woman owned business and to me, that’s the most important thing.
Base layers + mid layers + accessories are going to keep you going on the trail a lot longer than a single layer. Our Vista Pullovers, base layers bundles, and the horizon headband trio is sure to be loved by every adventure enthusiast on your list.
Gifting for: resident chill
We loooove the opportunity to just chill by the campfire and hang with our besties. Grab a tumbler (works for coffee or wine), throw your hair up in a scrunchie and chat about that day's adventures.
Gifting for: Nature lover
Do you or your friends want every purchase to count towards your mission to save the planet? Our newest base layers are made from recycled polyester made from recycled water bottles. We don't talk about it a lot, but every year, we donate 1% of our sales to the National Parks. We want people to have protected areas to adventure in regardless of abilities. Bonus: we now have three colors to choose from!
Gifting for: Always needs options
Do you or your friends find something you love it and buy it in every color? We totally understand.. that's why we offer so many different color options! Our New Horizon Base Layer Top is super versatile- wear it on the trails or to work under a sweater.
Gifting for: Ready to hike from head to ankle
This gift might be our favorite. What started as a way to control the waste we put out into the world became one of our favorite accessories to date. Grab a New Horizon Bundle and a Horizon Headband trio to cover most of your body in this incredible moisture-wicking fabric.
]]>Have you checked out our comfort length shorts yet? If you haven't, make sure you take a look at the size chart. If you have, what do you think of that size chart??
We've been grateful that our customers throughout the years (we are coming up on THREE years since OT was officially founded) have felt comfortable enough to talk to us about sizing. Y'all have been a wealth of knowledge as we grow this small business that we hope to be the most size inclusive ever (we have mega goals of introducing sizes 7x-10x by the end of 2023).
Large apparel companies have seemingly endless amounts of cash where they could pay gobs of money to bring in fit models of every size if they so chose to. We do not. We are largely self-funded and work on a tight budget, but that doesn't give us any excuses. As a small brand, size inclusivity is important to us so we will make it work. We have fit models and we have friends who are willing to try what we have and tell us what we can improve.
And we have you.
By giving us feedback, you allow us to operate in a more sustainable manner. We don't have stacks and stacks of ill-fitting clothing lining the walls of our shop. We have maybe 3 pieces that I can think of where the size was just completely wrong, so we cut the garments up and made scrunchies with them. There will be no wasted fabric here, if we can help it!
]]>This post popped up in my memories today 🙂 Just a reminder that designs TAKE TIME. I started this summers collection way back in 2019 and with the dedication of my current team of amazing humans, that vision was finally realized this year.
3.5 years ago (after my trip to Palo Duro that was the true start of OT), I started designing the ultimate supportive hiking tank top. 3 years ago I was sewing our scoop tank samples out of my spare room/studio and giving samples to friends. They hiked overseas, completed boot camp challenges, and burpee-d their way through the testing process giving me the feedback I needed to feel confident moving forward. I used scraps of those fabrics to make headbands to test the moisture-wicking properties of the fabrics I found and had testers fill out questionnaires to help me compile enough research to justify fabric choices. I tested custom prints, appliqué, labeling techniques, etc. for MONTHS before I felt confident enough to sell my tops.
After our initial launch in January 2020, I started working with a local cut/sew manufacturer to start developing the base of our original marble leggings, which then became the foundation of our base layers and bikers. I knew I wanted a solid foundation for our pants, so I started with limited quantities, got feedback from customers, and adjusted patterns as needed to get the perfect fit. While we eventually parted ways with that manufacture to open our own microfactory, the time spent in those first few months were invaluable.
As our team grew, designs evolved as they do when working with a team of other creatives. Our current support tank was inspired by many things, but as our team developed samples, the goals of that original hiking tank were applied to this new designs. We wanted women to have the option to wear a bra or not on the trail and not worry about their packs digging in to those straps. We got great feedback at market and continued to improve the design.
The 6 months leading up to our 2022 spring collection production, was full of adjusting designs, redoing patterns, and getting the rest of our fabrics. Yes. It took TWO YEARS for our team to get the fabrics we wanted.
Why didn’t we just scrap it and start over? Because that’s wasteful. That’s what the fast fashion industry has conditioned us to do, when in reality, spending time perfecting and revising designs that can be used for several seasons is more sustainable.
]]>I know there are varying types of wool that some have allergies to, some don't. But in my experience, I react to them all. In my quest to find base layers that didn't make my skin crawl, I met a lot of other people who had the same issue. So when we started designing winter clothing, a synthetic base layer that would wick moisture away and be as soft as a natural fiber was at the top of my priority list.
This is our second season to sell base layers and they're definitely a crowd favorite. We will stop producing them in February, so make sure you grab yours while you can!
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It was a wonderful weekend full of female empowerment, outdoor adventure, and community. The women that attended were from all over the country, but it felt like I had known them for ages- I love that about the outdoor community!
I spoke about what we do at Ottomatic Threads and I brought a bunch of our base layers to sell on site. It was so nice getting to talk to people about the differences between our 1st and 2nd gen and I loved when people would find me afterwards and tell me they tried them on and are so excited to wear them this winter.
Community is super important to us and we are really thankful for our relationship with the gals over at WildHerness. Thanks for the invite, ladies!
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We get this question a lot and it's a good one!
You may have heard of "thermals" or "warming layers" which are pretty much the same thing, but base layers are made of more technical fabrics and used in outdoor activities. Traditionally base layers have been made with wool and other natural fabrics, but as fiber technology has grown, they've been able to develop some really fantastic fabrics that are lightweight, moisture-wicking, and odor resistant; just like ours!
Short answer- kind of.
Long answer- Base layers are super versatile and can be worn under jeans, ski pants, jackets, or even as jammies and lounge wear when you get back to camp! Additionally, we try our hardest to select fabric that is more opaque than traditional warming layers, so if you just need to strip down after a long day on the slopes, you don't need to worry about your clothes being totally see-thru! Or, if you just want to do some yoga on a cool day, go for it. Our base layers are designed to work for you.
Our 2nd Gen design is hitting shelves soon and we are totally stoked to get them in your hands. This year we're also able to offer the base layer top in extended length to meet the needs of our customers even better!
Make sure you preorder yours today before they ship out mid-September!
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