Pig Cloth | w/ Jamie Gillespie
entioned previously in this issue, Aaron Gillespie also runs his own clothing company with his wife Jamie. Pig Cloth has a message that it’s co-founder would like to share with us.
How did the idea of Pig Cloth come about? Why a pig?
Jamie Gillespie: We wanted to have another way of communicating with people and to share our faith. Aaron is able to share from stage, which is great, but this is a more personal way for us to share our faith. Aaron’s nickname is “pig” and so we thought it would be funny to print shirts that were corresponding to what Aaron was actually doing in real life such as “pig on tour” “pig on drums”, and that is when we decided to have a clothing line and decided to call it “Pig Cloth”. We used the items as our “tools” by printing Bible verses on them. I definitely didn’t think this was God’s plan when we started, but I learned that God’s plan is usually a lot bigger than we ever imagine.
Tell us about how you choose your designs.
JG: Pig Cloth knows that there are a lot of talented people out there, so we have what you would call “design contests”. I know what you are thinking! It’s really great though! We get really great stuff! And our buyers are our designers so it’s really a win-win situation! Sometimes we have gone to the big guys and bought some designs as well but we have found we enjoy dealing with the customers. They are fun!
How do you decide what verses to put in each design? Where did that idea come from?
JG: I think that depends on what we are reading at the time, or maybe what we are dealing with at the time. Sometimes depending on the item (boy/girl) we sometimes try and find a verse that is particular for that sex. I think it’s so important for the age group that we are selling to understand what their Creator thinks of them, because He loves them and teens don’t know that these days. That’s terrifying to me. So if a graphic t-shirt can catch their eye and when they take that off and inside they see a Bible verse telling them that Jesus loves them, that’s God using Pig Cloth.
What are some of your short-term goals for Pig Cloth?
JG: Oh goodness, a lot more collaborating with some more designers. I would like to promote Pig a little more. But then again, I am not sure if I have the time (laughs). Aaron and I run Pig Cloth alone so we stay busy but we do have wonderful people that lend a helping hand. Matthew Alvarado, Zach Reed, Tony Damico and Spilt Ink, Pig Cloth couldn’t work without you so THANK YOU!
What are some of your long-term goals?
JG: Maybe a fashion show! Oh, that would be fun! Maybe Warped Tour if I can handle the heat! Maybe do a tour. Maybe retail.
If you notice they are all maybe’s. I honestly don’t have any “goals” for Pig Cloth. I just take it as it comes. We are truly blessed to be part of Pig Cloth and work with the people we work with and I have no idea what God has planned for us so I just pray we stay in His will and glorify Him always!
Aaron has a paragraph on your Myspace stating that you’re never too far from God to come back to Him. Do you see Pig Cloth as a straight up ministry tool? What do you want people to walk away with?
JG: I think it can be. Maybe not directly but I think it can be a wakeup call maybe in someone’s life or maybe a reassurance, I don’t know. I am not exactly sure what you would call Pig Cloth. But I am sure of this; I want people to walk away knowing that we aren’t here to judge them. We as Christians are here to LOVE, bottom line. So people that wear Pig Cloth should know that we love them! And that most of all Jesus Loves them!
