A quick Google search for “calico” drums up almost 27 million results to choose from. So now it’s time to learn about a few other calicos out there:
- Despite its folksy name, Calico Corners offers fabrics fit for a First Lady (along with custom window treatments, slipcovers, tableskirts, furniture, and free in-home design consultations). Today’s trends for home decorating are happy, vibrant colors that “make people smile”, says Jan Jessup, director of communications for the retailer. Yellow is uplifting, cheery and refreshing – the color of optimism. Orange began popping up in Europe and then made its way across the pond. And the Color Marketing Group crowned “Boyz-N-Berry” as 2012’s Color of the Year.
- With Calico Light Weapon Systems’ patented high-capacity helical feed design, you can “spend more time shooting and less time reloading”. As a bonus, their semiautomatic firearms are lighter than the UZI and MP-5, making them easy to maneuver for close-quarter combat. No one responded to my email for info, perhaps because they’re too busy packing orders. Turns out that gun sales have been climbing since 2009 as owners “fortified their home arsenals” following Obama’s election. “Initially, what spiked were the tactical rifles, the stuff Rambo might use,” gun industry analyst Jim Barrett told BusinessWeek. ”As a result, 2009 was ‘a blockbuster year’. So was 2010. And so [was] 2011…. No one is entirely certain why sales are still surging. ‘Gun owners don’t like to be surveyed.’”
- “If you haul animals in it, Calico Trailers can build it.” Dell and Barbara Liles set up shop in 1983 with a borrowed welder and no money for rent. Barbara sold her wedding ring to purchase their first truck (an orange 1967 Chevy) so that they could transport their new trailers to dealers. Today they manufacture over 2,200 trailers a year, including horse and livestock, oilfield, and exotic designs. (Custom widths and heights are available, but no word on whether they can help move your giraffe.)
- “Whether you need dish towels, appliances or an entire kitchen design plan,” Calico Industries is the place for you. And you’ve probably eaten out of a calico kitchen – for 85 years, they’ve been a leading supplier for schools, hospitals, correctional facilities, government agencies, and hotel and restaurant chains. Among calico companies, Calico Industries wins the prize for playing up their feline roots with a smiling calico logo (trailed by two lookalike kittens) as well as paw print icons for the items on their online store.
Calico Jack roamed the waters of the Bahamas during the Golden Age of Piracy. His career as a pirate was “not particularly successful, showing courage but lack of judgment”. But he remains famous for employing two female crew members and for his Jolly Roger flag, a skull over crossed swords. The design gained worldwide popularity and was resurrected by Hollywood for the movies Cutthroat Island and Pirates of the Caribbean.
And there are more… If I’ve left out your favorite calico, share it with the rest of us in the comments below.
