Securing Kippot to a Bald Head. We've Been Asked.

Many of you are familiar with Dunitz & Company's fair trade Judaica collection. We believe our crochet, beaded & embroidered fair trade kippot designed for women are some of the most beautiful available. Guys shouldn't fret. We offer a few styles that are quite manly. Take our "Star of David" design, for example. For many years we've exclusively wholesaled our kippot. Now, we are also offering them at retail on Etsy, Amazon Handmade and Shop Dunitz. (Yes, pricing is in line with anything you'd pay from our retail partners.) But, here's the thing. It wasn't until we started retailing that we received inquiries about how a bald man might wear our designs.


Our research began. Dunitz & Company yarmulkes have always featured little braided straps on the underside that are perfect for hiding bobby pins or other clips. This is a terrific feature if you're a man or woman with hair.

I learned on line that some bald men choose to wear larger size kippot that fit over their entire head, something beanie-like. Others opt for suede kippot. I read that suede creates more friction so it sits more securely on a bald head. (I have no proof of this. Do we believe everything we read? Just don't bounce around too much, I'm guessing.)


And then there was the obvious answer. But, seriously, it didn't easily present itself when researching on line. No, not super-glue. Not even velcro. (Although this seems a more plausible solution.)  The easy solution is double-sided fashion tape. There seems to be many brands and variations available. Rolls. Strips. And duh! Men have been using double-sided tape for their toupees since forever. This is the perfect solution to secure a kippot on a bald head. The roll shown to the right is by 3M.  A quick search online will reveal that this sort of tape is readily available and not expensive.


So now we all know how to secure a kippa to a bald man's head. It's such an easy solution. And obviously by the questions I've received, I'm not the only one who didn't have the answer.  Manly kippot? We've got 'em.  Looking for a yarmulke for your guy-pal? Whether he's bald or not, please consider Dunitz & Company's fair trade Judaica collection. -ND

Fair Trade Kippot: A Visit to the Skirball Cultural Center

Have you ever been to the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles? I knew when I went there this weekend, I would see the Anita Brenner exhibit and Dunitz & Company kippot in their stunning gift shop. If you live in Los Angeles and you have an interest in Jewish history, this is a must-see museum. The permanent exhibit which explains the history of the Jewish diaspora is exquisite.  Did I say they also have a magnificent gift shop? Yes. Yes. It's even more amazing when they have Dunitz & Company offerings on hand.  Just the same, the choices for menorahs, candle sticks and other Judaica is some of the best available in the City of Angels.

I've been on a mission to see as many exhibits as I can, currently hosted as part of Pacific Standard Time. PST was initiated by the Getty to celebration Latin in Los Angeles. Over 70 arts institutions in and near Los Angeles are hosting exhibitions that do just that. Another Promised Land, Anita Brenner's Mexico, educates us about this influential Mexican-born, American-Jewish writer and journalist who was part of the inner circle of many Mexican artists (Think Kahlo, Rivera, Orozco) most of us are familiar with. It amazed me that she, who had suffered at the hand of so much anti-semitism in her childhood (in Mexico), returned to make a huge difference in educating those living in the USA about the culture and important art scene of Mexico.  I definitely suggest you visit the Skirball Center while this exhibit is there. You'll learn a lot. You'll also see a portrait that Diego Rivera painted of Brenner's then young son....such a precious portrait.

Did you know I absolutely love mural art? If you follow me personally on Instagram, you'll see that I often post images of graffiti art and murals I see everywhere. I seek them out. In Los Angeles, of course. In Melbourne, Berlin, Copenhagen, New York -where-ever I find myself.  I was delighted to see an ancillary exhibit produced by the Skirball featuring many photographs of Ken Gonzales-Day. He has captured images of countless murals that are found all over this expansive city.  It was fun seeing them (most I've never seen) covering the walls of a huge gallery top to bottom. This exhibit is only in one large room, but there is plenty to check out. And the floor you walk on is a huge map of Los Angeles with a red pin for the location of each mural Gonzales-Day has photographed.

The take-away - is definitely visit the Skirball Center! And definitely see as many Pacific Standard Time exhibits as you can. Most are here in Los Angeles through January and February of 2018. Need a suggestion? Send me a note. I've already seen several others.

And, if you're in the market for fair trade kippot, definitely think of Dunitz & Company. And don't forget you can find a nice selection at the gift shop at the Skirball. (And if you're looking to carry fair trade yamulkes in your store, also think of Dunitz & Company! -ND

Fair Trade Judaica - New Kippot Designs

Our fair trade Judaica collection has always been a labor of love. And our artisan-made kippot have always been dear to our heart.  Most of our yarmulkes are designed to accommodate the women that wear them. Some of our designs are suitable for men. One of our favorite customers and advisors (regarding this part of our line) is Ilana Schatz from Fair Trade Judaica. She attends countless seminars where she often sells an assortment of Judaica products, our fair trade kippot among them. She always tells us ours are a customer favorite. She also always provides us with valuable feedback.  Recently she told me that some of her customers were looking for more neutral colored kippot suitable for more somber occasions. And of course, that got me thinking.  I knew it was time to introduce new designs in new colors.
  

Our embroidered kippot featuring embroidered flowers and leaves, with beaded accents have always been some of our best sellers.  It seemed fitting to add on to this part of our fair trade Judaica collection. Debuting at NY Now, we introduced our yarmulkes in several neutral color combinations including black, grey, charcoal, almond and an ecru-type beige. If you log into Dunitz & Company's wholesale website, you'll discover information and photos on all of our fair trade kippot designs.






Our new kippot were juried in for a special 'destination: new' display at the New York trade show and one of our designs was a candidate for 'best new product introduction'. We didn't win. We did however, sell lots of these new designs to appropriate gift shops. I'd say that makes us a winner :)!








While at the show, two Fair Trade Judaica board members stopped in at our booth. I enjoyed meeting Betsy and Regie and showing them our latest designs. We even posed for the perfect photo. (How is it I'm the tallest girl in this pic? I wasn't wearing heels and I'm only 5'6" - just saying.) Of course, they enjoyed checking out our entire fair trade jewelry collection including our designs that can be made with world coins or old Israeli coins.


Are you a buyer for a synagogue or temple gift shop? Do you choose to wear a kippa? Do you know a young woman needing a kippa for her bat mitsvah? If you said yes to any of these, you must know about Dunitz & Company's fair trade Judaica collection. Please check us out on our wholesale and retail sites. You'll be glad you did. -ND