JAK Designs began in 1997 in a tiny rooftop studio in San Francisco’s Mission District. They moved across the country, and they have a yard now, but the structure of the business remains the same. Jen and Tanya knit every piece in each collection, striving to make each garment and accessory the finest it can be by constructing each piece with thorough attention to detail and quality. As an artist and designer, Jen values the craft quality and the design aspect equally.
Jen’s work is motivated by an appreciation of fiber — its wondrous variety as well as its subtle complexities. She designs for comfort, movement and style using a vast array of natural and luxury yarns from around the world. When wearing her garments, it’s difficult to decide which is better: the look or the feel. While Jen’s knitwear provides luster and a luscious texture with elegant simplicity, the design detail reveals her cunning understanding of the body and the nature of the knit.
And that’s only the beginning. Jen and Tanya are dedicated to preserving the environment while acting responsibly in their own community. JAK Designs is a certified Green business — using recycled office supplies, recycling remnants, and burning as few fossil fuels as possible. JAK knitwear will never be produced in a sweatshop. In an effort to add more natural and sustainable fibers each season, Jen and Tanya developed the organiJAK™ and JAK naturals™ lines, utilizing natural, sustainable and organic yarns.
Born in Champion, Ohio in 1969, Jen earned her degree at the Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design and Merchandising at Kent State University, then headed west, and made San Francisco, California and the Mission District her home from 1995 to 2007. JAK Designs is currently headquartered in Jen’s home state of Ohio.
JAK Designs knitwear can be found in galleries and boutiques all over the country. Jen’s work has also been featured in national ballet performances from San Francisco to Oklahoma and all the way to New York’s Lincoln Center and the Juilliard School of Dance.
JAK Designs is a community-minded business. From the very beginning, Jen and Tanya have connected with service organizations and provided donations to support their good works. Jen taught sewing and garment construction to students at an under-funded middle school a mile from her studio in San Francisco, and both have been dedicated volunteers at youth events, AIDS walks and elections.
Beyond this, Jen and Tanya have built their business mindfully, with regard to the world around them and the lives of people in their community. They strive to buy locally, supporting small businesses and industry that supports their vision. Their business and their lives have been enhanced through the ongoing support of Women’s Initiative, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping women overcome economic and social barriers and achieve self-sufficiency.
JAK Designs is a certified Green business that uses recycled office supplies, recycles remnants, and burns as few fossil fuels as possible. Not only are their practices Green, but so are their knitwear collections. In the future, JAK Designs will be solar and wind-powered.