THE FIRST SUSTAINABLE DENIM BRAND BORN IN HARLEM , NEW YORK CITY

heritage reimagined

OAK & ACORN ~ Only for the Rebelles is the first sustainable denim brand born in Harlem, NY that pays homage to the legacy of indigo & denim-making in America.

Family-owned & operated, OAK & ACORN is committed to honoring denim’s roots, creative expression and conscious design.

OAK & ACORN is an artisanal brand for the individual who values quality, innovation & craftsmanship.

Text that reads 'Harlem, NYC' in bold white letters on a black background.

the year was 2019

Designer Miko Underwood started OAK & ACORN~Only for the Rebelles with a message about IMPACT—Conscious Denim, an Untold Indigo Legacy in America and a modern spin on the military coverall, a workwear staple.

In 2021, OAK & ACORN launched with its Signature Rebelle Coverall, an oversized drop crotched jumpsuit made to adjust to the wearer, and a celebrated denim-harem hybrid, known as the Wanderer Harem Pant.

OAK & ACORN made history in Nordstrom as the first Black Designer Brand on the Designer 4th Floor in their New York City Flagship.

OAK & ACORN ~ Only for the Rebelles has been listed as “Label to Watch” by The SPINOFF, HIGHSNOBIETY and by HYPEBAE.

OAK & ACORN integrates repurposed/upcycled fabrics & renewable fibers into our design. We work with local makers and support our local farmers in an effort to serve community and live in balance with nature.

While 100% sustainability is a work in progress, we are committed to being conscious stewards who weave awareness, care, and responsibility into everything we create.

OAK & ACORN~Only for the Rebelles has been featured in the notable platforms including VOGUE, ESSENCE, WWD, VANITY FAIR Italia and more.

“HARLEM serves as a backdrop for OAK & ACORN because of its rich legacy of art, culture, and Black thought.

It’s where I was born. Where I learned about Culture, Community and Knowledge of Self.

OAK & ACORN was conceived in my apartment in Harlem NY. Harlem is creativity, empowerment and heritage. For me, No matter where I am, Harlem is Home.”

- Miko Underwood

Local Impact
We partner with more than 12 local businesses, including seven that are family-owned and operated, to ensure our work strengthens the communities around us.
Our commitment is to preserve the legacy of American craftsmanship and to help revitalize the manufacturing that once made our neighborhoods strong. Today, 100% of our products are proudly made in the USA. That number includes our cutters, sewers and wash houses.
All of our partners are paid a fair living wage and operate locally in Los Angeles California.
Discarded, Reimagined.
Our commitment to circularity makes reusing and repurposing waste a pillar of our brand.
We believe that making in America means reclaiming cast-off garments and deadstock fabrics.
Our REBORN pieces are Made-by- Miko in our OA studio. Pieces are constructed from discarded garments, found & reclaimed denim & vintage military, deadstock fabrics and artisanal textiles — repurposed into functional, stylish, and salable designs.
Sustainability is the ethos of OAK & ACORN ~ Only for the Rebelles.
We approach it from a 360 perspective: environmental responsibility, social impact, education, strong institutions, and personal wellness. We intentionally incorporate sustainable, recycled, and biodegradable fibers into our products.
OAK & ACORN’s mill partners are at the forefront of the Sustainable Denim Revolution. Our fabrics are sourced from Candiani Denim (Italy), Soorty Denimkind(Pakistan), Artistic Milliners(Pakistan) and its US partner Star Fades International (Los Angeles) as well aslocal deadstock suppliers in Los Angeles, California. Our denim fabrics are made of 100% Cotton, recycled PIW and PCW cotton, hemp, Tencel™, Ecovera & Refibra.
The cotton for our tees are North Carolina grown and cut & sewn in Los Angeles.
Craftsmanship Cannot be Compromised.
For us, sustainability means honoring the histories, traditional practices, and expertise of creative communities, ensuring that people not only survive but thrive from their work.
We work with Indigenous Textile weavers in West Africa & Turkey to develop fabric on traditional looms.
Our West African fabrics are hand dyed indigo 100% Organic Teru & 100% Organic Cotton. The unique prints are pressed with carved blocks repetitively onto the fabric in a technique called ‘block printing.’ The printed fabrics are hand dyed, hung dry and softened with mallots.
Our Turkish Cotton Linen fabrics are woven on traditional looms by a small collective of who protect the artisanship of slow-textile production. Each shade of our Turkish linen is made by the natural dye extracted from plants.
20% of profits from OAK & ACORN’s Signature Coveralls and Jumpsuits support We Got Us Now, the nation’s leading organization committed to the well-being of children and young adults with incarcerated parents.
More than 10 million children in America have experienced the incarceration of a parent in their lifetime.
Through this partnership, every purchase helps raise awareness and resources for a generation too often overlooked while ensuring their voices, stories, and futures are seen and supported.
Learn more about our impact this past year!

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A woman in a white jumpsuit standing in a greenhouse with green plants.

Miko underwood

Recognized as ‘One of the Most Influential People in Denim Globally,’ by Rivet 50, Founder & Designer Miko Underwood's work has earned global recognition, including features in Vogue, The Business of Fashion,The Wall Street Journal, Inside Denim, Sourcing Journal, The Spin Off and Los Angeles Times.

Named as a ‘Cultural Steward of Sustainability’ by Essence, Miko has garnered support from key fashion organizations, including the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), Harlem's Fashion Row, RAISEfashion and The Designer Hub.

Alongside OAK & ACORN, Miko founded BLDG 357, Inc. a multimedia design studio that partners with brands, nonprofits, and organizations to develop thoughtful products, strong brand positioning, clear story and strategy, and responsible production systems from concept through execution.

She is the Creative Director for We Got Us Now, a national organization advocating for the well-being of children and young adults impacted by parental incarceration. Miko also serves as on the Advisory Council of the Fibers Fund, a catalytic fund to support small U.S. natural fiber-textile producers & processors, with a specific focus on environmental equity.

Through her innovative work and commitment to sustainability, Miko Underwood continues to inspire in the global denim space, advocating for a more inclusive and responsible fashion industry.