Bonobos

Residents of New York City often get so caught up in our town’s glittery chaos that we forget there are apices of excitement in other places… like Idaho.

In Idaho there lives a man named Jeff Hughes. Jeff is a smokejumper, which aside from being the only job title to rival “ninja,” requires that he routinely jump out of airplanes. Into fire.

The last daredevil-hero of any note was Vin Diesel in xXx, but unlike Vin, Jeff doesn’t have CGI or Asia Argento by his side. He’s got a chainsaw, a heroic will, and nerves like a safecracker. Read more below about the newest member of our Band of Brothers!

I am one of eighty Boise smokejumpers and my job is to parachute into steep and rugged terrain to suppress wildfires. We jump fires from spruce stands in Alaska to high desert in Nevada to heavy timber in California. A typical load of smokejumpers consists of eight firefighters and enough gear and food to support firefighting operations for three days. We either fight fire with Pulaskis and chainsaws or can transition to overhead teams to manage complex wildfires.

Once on the ground, smokejumpers dig a line around the fire, denying fuel to the flames. Some fires last a day and some fires last twenty, in which case you’ll find us working, sleeping, and eating in the dirt. Once the fire is out, we pack up our gear: chainsaws, parachutes, firepacks, jumpsuits, etc., for the demobilization. Occasionally we get picked up by helicopter but sometimes have to pack that 120 pounds of gear out to the nearest road, which can be two or ten miles away.

It’s the best job in the world.

Thanks,

Jeff Hughes

I’ve been a Bonobos fan from the get-go. As a teacher and coach, it has been a mission to find pants that can withstand the day-to-day classroom and behind-the-bench use and abuse. A nice fit and timely appearance are a huge plus. Most previous pants have come and gone but the BWBs are on point. My wife didn’t recognize my gluteus maximus. With attention to style I hadn’t known, Bonobos has helped shape the new look of high school teachers in Saline, Michigan. Nothing starts a conversation better than the patterned pockets.

Bonobos’ business philosophy is brilliant in its simplicity—quality cut and sewn pants, sharp customer service, and word of mouth. Doing what we Band of Brothers do, giving back is inherent. It is nice to see Bonobos do the same. To whom much is given, much is expected.

The pant revolution has hit my closet. I’ll be doing my part to see that it hits more.

Thanks,

DD

Dear Bonobos,

I am happily employed as a high school language arts teacher in rural southern Ohio. I love where I live, and I am very pleased to be teaching at my alma mater. My main goal as a teacher has never been to make money. I work each day to try to provide the students of this small farming community with more opportunities than I had at their age, whether that be through the literature we read in class or the elective classes I teach. I am proud to be a teacher. I am always disappointed when people who don’t know that I teach ask me to tell them my occupation. When they hear that I spend the majority of my day with sophomores trying to encourage them to read and write, I usually get asked if I’m crazy or a glutton for punishment.

I work each day to try to provide the students of this small farming community with more opportunities than I had at their age, whether that be through the literature we read in class or the elective classes I teach.

Imagine my delight when I opened up my RSS reader today. Ever since I discovered your company, I have been drawn to your product and your business philosophy. I began following your blog months ago and have enjoyed reading the many testimonials from satisfied customers. I was very excited as I read the post about John Johnson of Nevada, and the Band of Brothers program for customers who dedicate their lives to public service.

I view education as my calling. I recognize that the education profession is not for everyone. It is nice to know there are people beyond the communities we serve who appreciate what we do.

Thank you,
Justin Drummond

I received a pair of Graham Slackers as a gift from a friend—he turned me onto your website and I saw the page about the Band of Brothers. I’m a 3rd grade teacher, and I’m getting married in June! I met my fiance during my first year of teaching and I have attached a photo of the two of us.

When working with children all day, I have to have that casual feel to my clothes and your pants are perfect for that.

I really like to dress nice at work and I incorporated those Bonobos into my work attire. I found that they work great for the professional look but also have the casual feel. When working with children all day, I have to have that casual feel to my clothes and your pants are perfect for that. The governor of this fine state has put into motion a 6% pay decrease for all state employees, including teachers. Loving your pants as much as I do, I am now worried that with the wedding and the pay decrease, I won’t be able to purchase more than a pair or two. Even though my students are only third-graders, I take a lot of pride in introducing them to nice clothes. I teach in a very poverty-stricken neighborhood and relating to these students on any kind of personal level is an extremely important part of my job. I feel like it is never too early to learn about girls, air guitar, and fashion. My students and I love your pants!

Patrick Higgins

My name is Steve Kintop, and I am a Non-Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Air Force, and I have been serving on active duty for the past 11 years. I’m stationed right on the Gulf of Mexico, between Pensacola and Panama City. While there are certainly some neat parts of this job (travel abroad, camaraderie, and education to name a few), there is one aspect with which I am sure you can sympathize: the uniforms. You see, every day I must report for duty in ill-fitting clothes made by the lowest bidder, with only a handful of sizes to fit as many different body types as possible (while keeping costs low). The one uniform we DO have that is somewhat custom fitted (the Service Dress, also known as simply “Blues”) is made of polyester and is neither comfortable nor flattering. Complicating matters even further, I’m a pretty big guy: 6′4″, about 245 lbs. I find myself at the very edge of “off-the-rack.” I also have an… um, ample backside, which often requires me to buy pants that are too large in the waist in order to have enough room in the seat. I’m sure you can imagine my excitement when I discovered your company.

In closing, please consider my request for inclusion in your “Band of Brothers” program. While I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase your product at full price, a discount would sweeten an already good deal.

Best regards,

Steve

I fall in love with my job on a daily basis. Teaching middle and high school social studies isn’t what most would pick for their ideal job, but it’s the flashes of understanding that get me. No matter how bad a class period has been, or how frustrated and overworked I am, when I see my students’ eyes light up with new understanding I’m hooked all over again.

I edit their papers, give them workout advice, hear about their squabbles, and constantly push them to do more.

We do great work. I’m currently working with my seventh graders on a project where they write a memo to President Obama about the greatest challenge he’ll face in office. My ninth graders just finished an archaeological dig in our back field to complete our study of founding civilizations. I edit their papers, give them workout advice, hear about their squabbles, and constantly push them to do more.

I’m a twenty-six year old guy who briefly entertained the thought of putting money over inspiration; I don’t ever regret my choice. Working hard in a career with these kinds of rewards is wonderful, but sometimes I feel the pinch financially. Sure, teacher salaries are rising, but they still aren’t where they should be.

As an athlete and a teacher, I like to look good. I work hard to stay in shape, and I work hard at my job. I love good clothes, and I’d be really fired up to sport a few pairs of Bonobos when I roll out of the house before 7 a.m. You guys are doing awesome stuff, and I’d love to be a part of it.

—Namir Yedid

Dear Bonobos,

I’m a Corporal in the United States Marine Corps who has been dying to try one (or several) of your trousers since the moment I first read about them in Uncrate.

Honestly, I can’t think of a more perfect lower garment for a Marine. They’re fashionable, classy, and I’d do anything to avoid any more diaper butt! I’m currently stationed in Okinawa, Japan, which is a lovely (yet hilly) island. Those hills mean one thing: hill sprints. Those hill sprints have created a lower body that can be difficult to clothe properly.

“I am forever conscious of each Marine under my charge, and by example will inspire him to the highest standards possible.”

As a long-term and sometimes unwelcome guest in a foreign country, a crisp pair of trousers and a friendly smile can go a long way towards making friends out in town. As a Corporal, I am directly responsible for the training and well-being of the Marines under my charge. As the Non-Commissioned Officer’s Creed says: “I am forever conscious of each Marine under my charge, and by example will inspire him to the highest standards possible.”

Bonobos will help me to inspire my Marines to those highest standards and to improve America’s image abroad.

Thank you,

Cpl Scott Sanders, USMC

P.S. Attached are a few photos you’re welcome to use. The first is of myself and my Tagalog translator at a medical site near Legazpi, Philippines. When I went there as part of Operation Goodwill III the area had been hit one year by a large volcanic eruption followed by a mudslide the next year and a typhoon. Needless to say the residents could use some help—so the Marine Corps, Navy, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines did a joint project to rebuild several schools and provide medical and dental care to thousands of locals. In that particular instance I was registering dental patients for treatment later in the day.

The next photo is of some of the kids on the grounds of a Filipino elementary school which had been re-purposed as housing, as well as education for the camp’s children.

The last picture is of me at the Joint Security Area on the DMZ between North and South Korea. The blue buildings are UN-controlled and used for diplomatic meetings between the two Koreas. The large gray structure in the background is the main North Korean building, Panmungak. If you look closely you can see the North Korean soldier in his wool greatcoat. Every so often he would use gigantic Soviet-style binoculars to keep an eye on us and we were all instructed to not make any rude gestures or to dress slovenly because it would be used for propaganda purposes in the North.

Dear Bonobos,

It is so admirable that you offer this opportunity for reduced-price merchandise to people who have chosen less lucrative careers in public service. I have decided to dedicate my life to teaching middle and high school language arts, focusing on under-served populations in urban as well as rural areas. I earned a BA in English and am now working in a graduate program at the University of Nevada, Reno toward a Master’s degree and certification to teach secondary education.

It is no secret that social injustice saturates the American school system. There are, however, many within my field who are dedicated to ameliorating that injustice….

It is no secret that social injustice saturates the American school system. There are, however, many within my field who are dedicated to ameliorating that injustice through a conscientious rejection of unengaging, behaviorist teaching methods, the deficiency-oriented mindset that expects minorities and economically challenged kids to fail, and the idea that cultural diversity is a political opinion rather than a matter of fact. I am happy to count myself among those dedicated to the fight.

In January, I will begin a student-teaching internship in a rather remote mining town in the northeastern corner of Nevada. I will have the full workload of a regular, hired teacher and I won’t be paid a dime for it. My colleagues and I are well aware of the financial situation we are going to enter and most of us have reconciled ourselves with it; our desire to change the world (idealistic, I know) trumps material concerns.

I believe in paying a bit more for better quality and to support homegrown, grassroots American business. That being said, I am also willing to accept help when offered. I appreciate the pro-social approach you have taken at Bonobos and I would like to take you up on your offer to help out people like me who have traded in some luxuries and comforts for a world where we’ll all be better off.

Dear Bonobos,

Thanks for creating trousers as stylish as their namesake. While I have only recently come to know Bonobos trousers, I have dedicated my life to understanding the wonderful animals they are named for. I can assure you, bonobos are indeed the sexiest apes, and I am glad your trousers follow suit.

…Lola ya Bonobo works hard to help the Congolese people by teaching school children about the special responsibility they have to protect and cherish the remaining wild populations of bonobos….  we hope that our work for protection and increased knowledge of bonobos will help humans celebrate peace and tolerance in similar ways.

I work in the department of Evolutionary Anthropology at Duke University and my research focuses on the question of what makes humans unique. I explore this question by trying to understand how we are similar and different from our two closest living relatives, chimpanzees and bonobos. People have studied chimpanzees for a long time and lots of ideas about humans are based on what we know about chimps. It is only recently that our equally close relative, the bonobo, has stepped into the anthropological limelight. Compared to chimpanzees, bonobos live in peaceful, relatively friendly societies. We’re hoping that humans can take a lesson from bonobos and were glad you’ve embraced that philosophy as well.

Ironically, the peaceful bonobos live only in the war-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo. We observe the bonobos at Lola ya Bonobo, a sanctuary dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of orphan bonobos. Additionally, Lola ya Bonobo works hard to help the Congolese people by teaching school children about the special responsibility they have to protect and cherish the remaining wild populations of bonobos. Through collaboration with Congolese science students, we are developing an international team of researchers dedicated to learning about and learning from bonobos. Ultimately we hope that our work for protection and increased knowledge of bonobos will help humans celebrate peace and tolerance in similar ways.

Although a career researching bonobos will never be lucrative, I will always be spoiled with their good company. If you see fit, I would be honored to join the good company of the Band of Brothers. You will find no better looking, more stylish ape than a bonobo, and with your help, the researchers studying them will look just as good.

As I entered my senior year of college, most of my friends were starting the law school application process of were applying for jobs at consulting groups and investment banks. But I, a lifelong lover of classical music, knew that I wanted to devote my career to something of more personal significance to me, and also that I wanted to make a different kind of contribution to our world. Following this dream, just two years out of school, I have now found my way to the Metropolitan Opera, where I work in the Artistic Department as the Assistant to the Artistic Administrator.

The Met is one of the largest arts organizations in the world with an annual season of 220 performances of more than twenty-five operas! Along with my boss, I am responsible for planning this season, designing our complicated rehearsal and performance schedule, and casting all of the singers. I spend my days working with devoted colleagues to produce the highest level performances for our audiences night after night—a task that is made only more challenging given the current economic situation in the world and the increasingly pinched budgets of not-for-profit arts organizations. I believe that the salaries we forgo are worthwhile because of the privileges we gain; I work extremely close to the production and dissemination of extraordinary music—music which has an exciting impact on the life of our city and on our broader society.

My job does not save lives, but I think there is truth in the adage that art makes life worth living.

Despite the pervasive view that opera as the most elitist of art forms, I think that the Met’s contribution to our society is more significant than simply providing entertainment for the wealthy and erudite denizens of the Upper East and West sides of Manhattan. Under the leadership of our new General Manager, the Met endeavors to inspire ever-broader audiences with our music. From high definition telecasts to movie theaters around the world, to discounted rush tickets for students and seniors and training programs for aspiring opera singers, the Metropolitan Opera is not solely in the business of serving the wealthy, but rather of perpetuating opera—at the very highest level—for the next generation, and of bringing this magical art form to new audiences.

Despite the pervasive view that opera as the most elitist of art forms…. the Metropolitan Opera is not solely in the business of serving the wealthy, but rather of perpetuating opera—at the very highest level—for the next generation, and of bringing this magical art form to new audiences.

The Band of Brothers space on your web page identifies teachers, nurses, and firemen as ideal candidates for the discount—these are the kinds of people who truly sacrifice their own earnings and even take personal risks in order to make valuable contributions society. My job does not save lives, but I think there is truth in the adage that art makes life worth living. And I think my work, and the work of the Met in a broader way, contributes significantly to the cultural life of our city and of our world. I am tremendously proud of my work for the cultural life of New York, and hope you will agree that this work makes a worthwhile contribution.

On a personal level, I would be grateful for the discount in order to augment my wardrobe! A part of my job is to attend operas and to interact with patrons and singers at nightly performances, and also at special openings and galas. As one of your colleagues recently wrote in the Bonobos blog, dressing to impress at the Met is a challenge! On my limited budget I am grateful for any assistance I can get to dress both fashionably and affordably; I know Bonobos will help me with the the former—I also hope you can help me with the latter.