Knotty Tie Co. Co-Founders Jeremy Priest and Mark Johnson met at
MSU Denver and after graduating in 2012 decided to start a high-tech, high-touch tie company.
"We recognized the work environment is becoming less formal," says Priest. "People don't wear ties because that have to -- they wear ties because they want to. It's a form of expression."
To this end Knotty Tie's soon-to-launch website and later-to-launch mobile will allow customers to design their own tie, choosing the pattern and width.
Patterns are inspired by everything from nature to pop culture, says Priest. "We'll also have novelty things like dinosaurs, beer, and waffles."
The company hit its $5,000 goal on Kickstarter in early March, so it decided to aim for another $5,000 by April 1. Priest says the website is slated to launch by early June.
Besides selling custom ties to individuals. organizations and businesses, Johnson and Priest are also targeting the wedding market. "They give us the colors and we come up with eight different patterns with that color scheme," says Priest. "Each groomsman picks his own tie."
The fabric is printed in North Carolina and the ties are manufactured in Denver. Priest says the company hopes to work with refugees who are part of the
African Community Center's We Made This program in Denver. Also on the horizon: bow ties, scarves and other wearables.
Contact Confluence Denver Innovation & Jobs News Editor Eric Peterson with tips and leads for future stories at eric@confluence-denver.com.
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