Stay Warm and Stylish with Locally Designed Scarves

With the holiday shopping season in full swing, there’s a new way to keep your gifting local: Narragansett-based textile designer Jacki Rainer has just launched a new line of infinity scarves featuring her original designs.

The scarves feature repeating patterns or motifs like elephants and flowers, printed on soft organic cotton. They’re a pretty antidote to New England’s winter chill, but Rainer says her scarves aren’t just about warmth. She views a funky scarf almost like jewelry, a “statement piece” that can spice up even the plainest look.

A graduate of URI who also takes classes at RISD, Rainer says she draws inspiration from travel and the natural beauty of southern Rhode Island – especially the beaches. A five-week trip to India earlier this year informed her most recent designs, which she based on woodblock prints she saw there. Rather than traditional woodcuttings, Rainer developed her patterns digitally, a process she says is more eco-friendly because it cuts down on waste and harmful dyes.

Rainer launched her website and Etsy store JARA last month. You can also find her and her scarves at Festival Fete’s Holiday Bazaar at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet, December 8, 15 & 22. 10am-6pm.