Prison Inmates Launching ‘Brak Outt’ Urban Clothing Line

Prisoners at the Lansing Correctional Facility in Leavenworth, Kansas are using Hip-Hop and clothing to send a message to impressionable youth, who may feel that prison is a fashionable place. "Brak Outt" (pronounced break out) is a clothing line created by inmates and approved by Warden Dave McKune, who said the name of the clothing […]

Prisoners at the Lansing Correctional Facility in

Leavenworth, Kansas are using Hip-Hop and clothing to send a message to impressionable

youth, who may feel that prison is a fashionable place.

"Brak Outt" (pronounced break out)

is a clothing line created by inmates and approved by Warden Dave McKune, who

said the name of the clothing had significant meaning.

"Break out of old attitudes, break out of

the way to prison, break out of your prison, break out of being in prison, the

whole process," McKune told the Leavenworth Times.

McKune said six of the founders of the company

came to him with the idea for the company several years ago and said that he

backed it due to the positive image of the clothing line.

Founders of the line stated that they wanted

to convey the message that "there is no glory in prison, that having served

time is not a status symbol, and that wearing the label of ex-convict does not

make you a man or woman."

The clothing line will be marketed locally with

hopes of building the name of the brand and will be available in local and medium

sized urban stores.

The company is still working out the logistics

of the business, since the multi-billion dollar urban clothing industry is a

new venture for the Kansas Department of Corrections.

"We’re taking baby steps, before we can

start walking and running," McKune said. "But the plan is to market

nationwide. That’s not just for the clothing itself but also the positive mental

attitude."

A mini CD will come with the tags on each piece

of clothing. The CD and the tags will contain positive messages for the youth

they are seeking to keep out of the prison system.