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“Shun looked upon casting aside the Empire as no more than discarding an old shoe. He would have secretly… fled to the edge of the sea and lived there happily, never giving a thought to the Empire.”
--------Mencius, circa 320 BC
You don’t have to be a Chinese philosophy fan to recognize when it’s time to cast aside the Empire and move on to the next phase of life. We are closing our business after forty years in order to focus on new projects and challenges.
There are numerous reasons for this decision. In Europe, tax and environmental compliance grew steadily more expensive, and Brexit caused ever-tightening Customs and logistical hurdles. Those factors made Europe extremely time consuming and, well, annoying. Additionally, global companies are increasingly downgrading customer support, so that when problems arise, it’s difficult or even impossible to fix them. These factors increase cost and frustration.
On another level, business is dynamic and requires constant reinvention. It’s becoming a world of Tik Tok and Social Media, with the next big buzz, artificial intelligence, just over the horizon. How much new software do we want to learn? How much video do we want to take, edit and post? Besides that, many of our suppliers, people we’ve known for decades, are retiring or dying. In the new landscape of computerized looms and high minimum orders one must work harder and sell more.
If we were twenty years younger, we would embrace these challenges as we always have. The business is still thriving, and we have many wonderful trading partners around the world. But we also recognize that we have a limited amount of time and energy remaining, and have to decide how we want to spend it. It’s easy to put off the things that are the most meaningful and most difficult, whether it’s writing that elusive novel or fighting for the environment. Those are the kinds of things for which we are casting aside this particular empire.
We’ll very much miss the suppliers we’ve befriended, the customers who have enjoyed our products, and working with beautiful textiles and all that they encompass. Thanks to all of you for your support, and we hope you enjoy your Invisible World garments for many years to come.
Hello:
The best to you on your new ventures!
Decompress gently as stress descends off your shoulders. How wonderful!
For myself, I have fallen in love with the Yak. Much warmer, natural undyed colors and now more affordable than ever.
Thank you for your years of adventures!
Kathryn Kingston
On the coldest days your sweaters are the warmest.
Fondest memories of conversations.
Thank you Stuart! Your sweaters have meant a lot to me ever since you had your shop in Juneau.
I am so very sad. I “discovered” you in Juneau when on a Princess cruise that I went on with my mom, brother, sister, their spouses and two nephews. Bought my favorite sweater of all time. (And a couple of others since.) Your socks are my mainstay and I love your gloves. My very best wishes to both of you!!!!!!!!!! And thank you for contributing positively to my life!
Barbara
I bought my first Invisible World sweater in Alaska in 2009. It was the Tibet cardigan and I loved it for its light weight and warmth. Sadly the moths got it (along with some other cherished sweaters). I always wanted to replace it but even though you still carry the Tibet pattern in accessories, you weren’t making the cardigan anymore. I always held out hope that it would reappear, but now that you are are closing it will be lost forever. I did buy another cardigan and I do like it, but it doesn’t have the same lightness and suppleness that the Tibet had. Lesson learned: I have cedar and moth traps all over my closet! Best of luck to you. The quality of your products is wonderful and I am sad to see you go. Personally, I am not a fan of social media either. Best wishes for your future!
I wish you both well in this major move into a new and challenging chapter of your lives. My contact with Invisible World goes back to July 2002 when our cruise ship stopped in Juneau, and we found your shop on the street near the wharf. My husband loved the alpaca pullover we bought that day, and wore it with great pleasure. I was able to do small strengthening repairs with coloured thread to match the various yarns that eventually needed assistance. It later acquired microfibre elbow patches. Even though it was joined by several other beautiful Invisible World pullovers, it continued to bring him warmth and pleasure each time he wore it. Thank you, Stuart, for chatting with me after his passing, when I ordered an acacia ruana for myself. It reminds me of our visit to Juneau, and the many years his alpaca pullovers were a daily joy in his life and mine. My own ruana has been admired by many family and friends during the past two years. I suspect that several of them hope they might be the one chosen to inherit it! Best wishes to all the Invisible World family.
sorry to see you go. but you have done your part to make good things
my best wishes for you
I am so very sorry to see you go! As someone who once designed high-end, quality accessories in the fashion business, I not only appreciate the quality and beauty of your products, but also am acutely aware of the difficulty of replacing you as a source for fine woolens that are not mass produced, and at what I feel is a great price. Your closing creates a hole in my shopping sources that I know will not be easily replaced. I wish you all the best at your future endeavors.
Thank you for your years of service to your products and to your customers. I have always appreciated your work, your experience and stories.
I have also made huge changes in my life, not because I wanted to, but because I had to.
It is important to be adaptable to no matter what is presented to us. Always keep a sense of humor and find the core goodness to everything. Your memories become gold.
Love your stuff. Worn it for years. Still wearing it. Will miss you. Good fortune in your new pursuits.
My best to you! Your sweaters, hats, shawls + have made outdoors in Northern Minnesota a delight instead of shivering dread. Two last hats ordered today. I still mourn losing the violet one, so it was time to replace it!
I will miss you.
You should enjoy your retirement and your retirement plans while you still have your health.
I feel happy and sad for you in equal amounts! Best of luck in your new endeavors.
I understand completely as I’m of an age. I don’t want to reinvent myself. I will miss having you around. You are my go to site when I want a new sweater, although your sweaters last so long that I rarely do need a new sweater. Best wishes on your new endeavors