This Kegalle Scarf from BARTS comes with a great big dose of 70s-style vintage cool. Made from 100% polyester with an 80% acrylic/20% polyester lining, it's got a suede-style texture on one side and fluffy faux shearling on the other. At 110 x 20 cm, it's nice and wide for cold-weather coverage. You can wear it done up – via a pass-through arrangement – or draped loosely depending on how sharp the air temperature is. Substantial enough to keep the draughts out without feeling bulky, that synthetic construction means it'll bounce back after being stuffed in your bag all day. It’s the kind of scarf that makes you feel like you should be kicking back with a hot toddy in a snowy alpine terrace bar while Matt Monro plays over the speakers.
Isn't it funny how many outdoor brands seem to have started out with one man and a sewing machine? In 1986, the man was Bart Koene and the place was sun-soaked St Tropez. Bart originally knocked up handmade swimming shorts to sell on the beach, but one day a stylish friend was helping him flog his wares when a passing tourist tried to buy her bandana. Bart knew an opportunity when he saw one, and quickly branched out into headwear and other accessories.
Now based in Amsterdam, BARTS has come a long way since ‘86. In fact, the brand offers more than 2,500 products including hats, beachwear and bags. But it’s about quality, not quantity. This is clobber with conscience. BARTS don’t use angora, fur or mohair, and each year they increase their use of recycled and sustainable yarns. The brand insists on a strict code of conduct for its partner factories, and its head office and warehouse in Houthavens is purpose-built to minimise carbon emissions. BARTS employees even get free weekly yoga classes.
