National Day for Truth and Reconciliation felt pin September 30, 2022

Designed and handmade by me, in Ontario, Canada.   Wool felt pin to honor National Day for Truth and Reconciliation September 30, 2022

Why Orange?

The inspiration for Orange Shirt Day came from Phyllis Webstad, who shared her story. Webstad recounted her first day of residential schooling at six years old, when she was stripped of her clothes, including the new orange shirt her grandmother bought her, which was never returned. The orange shirt now symbolizes how the residential school system took away the indigenous identity of its students.  

This public commemoration is a vital part of the reconciliation process in Canada as it deepens our collective awareness of this history and ensures ongoing reflection across the country for years to come.

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation will mean different things to different people, though we will be united in the act of reflection. This is an important moment to honour the memories of survivors, who were harmed by horrendous abuses at residential schools, and their families, who have suffered intergenerational traumas. This is also a time to commemorate those who did not survive. For all of us, it will be difficult to acknowledge and sit with the truths of the past and its enduring impact on our society.

Each pin is handmade and there may be slight differences in the product.  I do my best to make them identical. 

size 3" X 2.5"  or 7.5cm X 6.5cm 

$1.00 from each pin will be donated to charity.