Best clothes for a cause

Whenever you buy one of Hiroko Kurihara’s stylish, handcut, and handcrafted felted wool blankets or scarves, a similar product made of recycled polar fleece is donated to a homeless person. In 1989, Kurihara disappointed her mother when she graduated from the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design and decided not to take a job managing a textile mill in China. Instead, she headed to Berkeley and spent 14 years working in what she describes as “the urban fabric,” including stints with Habitat for Humanity and an affordable housing developer in Oakland. Four years ago, she wove her interests into a business that makes the stylish smile. Available at local boutiques and museum stores, 510-384-3146, hirokokurihara.com

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