We just found out some sad news today. After ten years of inspiring a generation of DIY-ers, ReadyMade is closing up shop. We love the magazine. In fact, ReadyMade gave us our big press mention.

We created these early Poketo wallets using the pages of ReadyMade’s magazine in the hopes of getting their attention. And it did. During our first show then-editor Shoshana Berger came to us and happily shared the news that Poketo would make in onto the pages of ReadyMade. That was a great night.

We’ll miss you, ReadyMade. Bon voyage! We’re confident that with all the ingenuity and awesomeness in the team, everyone will land happily on their feet.

Our inbox gets flooded with emails everyday. This one definitely stood out from the rest. It read:

On May 22nd, I was visiting my friend’s family in Joplin, Mo. During the visit, the tornado ripped through the neighborhood and destroyed the home (along with hundreds of others). What wasn’t taken away, was either destroyed or soaked with water. This included cell phones, wallets and the like. My Poketo wallet, however, was fine. Despite the wind and rain and flying debris, the wallet and its contents remained intact.

Jordan is a 19-year-old sophomore at Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. She wrote to us because she, her friend Mike and his family (even the family dog) had all survived an F5 tornado that ripped through Joplin last month exactly. Though the family’s home is devastated, they somehow still found something to smile about, the now-famous Poketo wallet that survived the tornado.

“Wallets are basically our life in a pocket. They house our identity, our money, basically our everything. When they get stolen or lost, anxiety is definitely a side effect,” says Jordan, “I was so thankful when I found my waterproof wallet in tact. The rest of the family wasn’t so fortunate…their wallets were waterlogged, stinky, or even gone.”

Jordan’s Poketo wallet post-F5 tornado.

What brought us to Joplin was family. Mike is Serbian and his family celebrates a religious holiday called Slava. This year, Dan, Mike’s brother, was hosting it. The day of the tornado started like a normal day…the adults were chatting and cooking, and the kids were playing.

We all sat down to dinner and were enjoying the appetizer course and no sooner did we hear the faint sounds of tornado sirens.

Living in Missouri for over a decade without a tornado, Dan didn’t take it too seriously. Monica, his wife, on the other hand, felt that she needed to get the kids in the laundry room. (Why the laundry room? They didn’t have a basement, and it was the center-most part of the house.)

It was a bit cramped in the laundry room, but we amused ourselves by reading a book. We get about a third of the way through the book when the power goes out. Being tucked away in the laundry room, I had no idea that the sirens went off again. The next thing I know, I hear what sounds like hail just smacking the roof.

Shortly after, I heard it. I heard the freight train rip through the house. At first, it was complete darkness due to the power outage, but the next thing I knew, I’m covered in insulation, debris, water, and can see light. The actual tornado lasted no longer than two minutes, but boy were those the longest two minutes of my life. It felt like I was in that laundry room for hours. If you can imagine, all Hell broke loose after this.

To speed this up, long story short, Duke was the one injured, most likely by flying debris. He needed 30 stitches, but everyone else was left without a physical scratch (mentally and emotionally we were a little more damaged).

Joplin, Mo. was home to 50,000. Until today, it is still struggling to recover. The tornado took out nearly one-third of the city and killed more than 150 people, destroying thousands of homes and businesses in its wake. The tornado ranks as the 8th most deadly in history.

A number of organizations have already banded together to help the stricken town. You can find some links here.

Although it is not going to reverse the devastation in Joplin, we’re doing our part here at Poketo in keeping the family’s spirits up. Jordan actually asked us to send some new Poketo wallets to her friends and family. So that’s what we did! Jordan and Mike personally picked out wallets for each family member and we sent the care package. Hopefully it becomes one more step towards rebuilding their normal life. We hope they like it and it’ll stay with them through thick, thin and everything in between.

If you would like to personally send help to this family, you can leave a comment on the page and we can help put you in touch with Jordan.

Dreams really do come true! This doesn’t happen often, but, we actually got to interview Neko Case! You’ll find questions here, that probably no other blog, except for Poketo would ask… you’ll see.

This interview is in conjunction with THE COUGAR-RAMA MUSCLE CAR-‘SPLOSION Fundraiser to benefit 826 National, Neko Case is raffling off her beloved 1967 Mercury Cougar to benefit 826 National. We love 826National and have supported their free tutoring and literacy programs for kids over the past years. Their focus on creative writing and arts in education is something we believe in. Raising money for 826 National will help kids expand their minds! Lets get straight to the interview and hear why Neko is urging us to get in the car!

What are your most memorable moments with your car that you would like to share with us?
It’s a 1967 actually, I bought it years ago in Denver. It’s my dream car!  Its name is “Angie Dickinson”. It’s what Police Woman would drive off-duty. My favorite memory with it is definitely shooting the cover photo for “Middle Cyclone”. I held a sword like a mega-dork, but somehow it balanced out cause theres nothing that car doesn’t look cool doing. It’s a star, I just rode it’s coat tails!

Why are deciding to auction off your car?
It doesn’t get the attention it deserves because I’m on the road all the time. I didn’t want to sell it because I’m so attached to it. But, I had to admit it was lonely, so I decided it needed a good cause. It’s a very giving car!  Who doesn’t love 826!? And for those who don’t know who have YET to start loving them, we need to get the word out. Angie thought it was a great idea.

What inspired you to collaborate with 826National for this auction?
I’m a BIG fan of what they do, and the way they do it. I WAS that kid who NEEDED 826 when I was in school, and even though I missed the boat I’m so excited to help get kids reading, writing and creating. Books saved my life. I want them to know how amazing their lovely brains are!

What is a childhood memory you have of learning to read and write? Was there any particular piece of writing you were proud of when you were a child?
Well, I won a regional poetry contest when I was in 7th grade. I got to read my poem at the zoo. It was the only thing I had ever won and the ONLY encouragement I had EVER had about writing. It came as a complete shock to me, I was so invisible in the school system as most kids AND teachers were. I really hope this changes, good teachers should be treated like rock stars.

What do you hope for this auction to do?
Get people excited about 826 and raise awareness of how unique and kid-friendly the program is.

What will your next mode of transportation be after you sell this car?
Well, I live in a snowy, mountain-place so I now have a used 4 wheel drive truck. Functional AND manly!

Is the way you approach songwriting the same way you create your art(drawing)?  Is there a difference between the two?
No, they are the same, it’s all about chasing ideas, and then when you catch up to them you PUSH them in every direction until it clicks. Sometimes it’s painful, but it’s ALWAYS rewarding.

If you were to teach a workshop for 826National, what would your workshop be about?
It would be about how even tiny things are “art” and how those things should be valued and how they make us individuals.

Based on your life experiences, what would you want young, aspiring writers/ artists to be aware of that you wished someone had told you when you were young?
There is NO place reading and writing can’t take you. They are like a platinum card with no limit!  And no matter how uncool or small we feel sometimes, our ideas are POWERFUL and important.

Is there anything valuable humans can learn from animals?
What ISN’T there to learn!? I am most impressed with their ways of communicating. The subtleties, their patience. I always think about dogs and horses when I think about this. They could be wild yes, but even with their intensely complicated and specific social systems amongst their own kind, they are still willing to listen to us and hear what we want from them. They are willing to learn our language. If we take the time to learn theirs as well both are rewarded with friendship and loyalty.  It staggers me, I think it may be the most beautiful thing there is.

Had you always been an environmentalist?
Yes, I’ve always felt protective of nature, including the nature of humans!

What are some little changes you’ve made in your day-to-day that are eco-friendly?
I recycle like mad!  I like to make “new” things out of used things and I try hard to buy local and organic food, which is sometimes hard on the road, but it works most of the time. I grow my own food from organic and heirloom seed. NO GMOS! I don’t use any chemicals in anything if I can help it. Cleaners, laundry, paint etc. Too many poisons! As far as body and face products, I make my own. I got sick of ingredients I couldn’t identify, I mean, if I won’t eat poison, why would I put in on my face or rinse it down into my water system? My farm is organic and has been for a couple hundred years, I get pretty anal about keeping it that way, but I’m stoked about it.

What is the creative process like as a solo artist versus being in a band (The New Pornographers) where your ideas aren’t solely coming from you, but from everyone?  Are there pros and cons of being in both?
The two bands have always existed together, both started at the same time so I can’t imagine one without the other. I feel exposed to double the ideas and influences which can be overwhelming, but only in the way of walking into a giant toy store for a kid, you get the “where do I start!?”  panic, which is thrilling. Sometimes scheduling can be a challenge, but it always works out and both bands respect each other’s time.

If you were trying to describe your music to a deaf person, what would it look like?  (Showing your music videos do not count!)
If you could watch a bird fly in slow motion and then flip a switch that made the air become visible, and you could see that the air was helping the bird up and along, and that it was so glad to be of service. Symbiotic joy.

What do you think your music will sound like or be about in 10 years.
I have NO clue, but I can’t wait to find out!

Surely there must be at least one or two songs out there on the radio you found yourself bobbing your head to…
I don’t ever listen to radio, I really don’t have a clue.

This question doesn’t mean to be gratuitous, but, why do you love Poketo!? You once wrote us telling us that our shirts saved you while on tour… tell us more!!
The softest, most handsome, non-sweatshop,well made shirts with excellent customer service!  You guys have it goin’ on!  xoxoxoxo

Thanks Neko! We love you. YOU have it goin’ on!
More about 826National and this fundraiser. Or call 415-730-7526 to enter.
More on Neko Case.
All photographs via Jason Creps Photography.

It has been a few years since our last major redesign. If you haven’t seen it already….Poketo’s got a new look! We’ve launched a fresh new website just in time for Spring! Not only have we introduced a new identity, but, the shopping site is cleaner and easier than ever for a seamless Poketo experience. Navigate through the new site and check out all of your favorite Poketo items including our brand new wallet series with artists Julia Heglund, Maki, Marcus Oakley, UPSO, and Will Bryant.

Name-That-Series Facebook Contest
This time around we wanted to see what awesome names YOU come up with. For TODAY ONLY, visit our Facebook fan page, take a look at our newly released wallets, and help us think of a name that best encapsulates this series. Along with bragging rights, the best name will win all six wallets! So start spitting those names out!

Thank You!
And we’ve saved the best for last. We want to say ‘thank you’ to all of our loyal fans by releasing a special discount code that will only last until THIS FRIDAY!
Simply type in “poketonew” at checkout to automatically deduct 15% off your purchase!

We hope you enjoy the new site, please let us know what you think, comment, email us, or tweet it!! Thank you for your continued support!!