Comeback City: Detroit Burlap Pillow

I'm back today sharing a new variation of our Plymouth burlap pillow, the Detroit Michigan burlap pillow. Very similar to our Plymouth and Alpena burlap pillows, this rectangular shaped pillow has a burlap front and a solid cotton canvas back. The name of the city is hand-stenciled directly onto the burlap, with the silhouette of the lower peninsula as the 'O' (My Silhouette Cameo is a huge help when creating these stencils!). This one is for all those Detroiters who love their city and have pride in it, despite the popular perception that Detroit will always be a fallen city with a dismal future.

I am proud to say that I was born and raised in the metro Detroit area, and although I live further away from the city now than I ever have, I still venture into the downtown area to explore the new shops and restaurants. I spent four years driving into Detroit when I attended the University of Detroit Mercy, which is on the northwest side of the city in an area that is often regarded as a bit rough. It has been many years since I attended the University, and the amount of change in the area is visible enough that I don't recognize a lot of the familiar stops along the way that I became used to when navigating the commute for four years. I learned a lot in those four years and a good portion of it was outside of the classroom and outside of my own comfort zone in a new, big city.



Although the Detroit pillow seems like just another variation of our popular burlap pillow, it carries a lot of meaning. Detroit represents a bit of grittiness, but that is what builds resilience and resourcefulness. It is now regarded as the comeback city, gaining attention and respect from other cities for its evolution and continued revival, and that is what I love the most about it. I respect hard work and the hustle, and I hope that I continue to see that bootstrap culture change the city for the better.

There is currently only one of our Detroit burlap pillows available in our Etsy shop but more on the way as interest grows. You can shop here or shop locally at Birch Wood boutique in downtown Plymouth, Michigan.