CHICAGO — A home-grown Northwest Side clothing manufacturer dedicated to "urban-retro fusion" wear for motorcyclists will donate a dollar from each of its sales to the National Veterans Art Museum in Portage Park, its founder said.
Abrade Limited produces T-shirts and beanies for bikers, with each unit traced to a factory in Avondale, according to founder and CEO Andrew Meindl.
Meindl, a longtime motorcycle enthusiast who lives in Old Irving Park, teamed up with a clothing designer friend to bring a fresh look to biker fashion, he said.
"The idea was do something a little different from the normal skull-and-crossbones," Meindl said.
They vowed to give the museum a piece of every sale from the moment they launched their online-only service earlier this month, Meindl said.
"I'm a big believer in doing good while you're making money," Meindl said. "And the combination of the grittiness of veterans and the wonderful art they produce just seemed like a perfect match."
Meindl hopes to one day add veterans' art to the design of his shirts and hats, he said.
Founded in 1981 as the Vietnam Veterans Art Group, the museum now showcases the artwork of military vets from multiple conflicts. Its next exhibit, showing art from more than 30 Vietnam veterans, is set to open Nov. 10.
