2012
Knotty Tie Co. was founded by two college friends with little more than a desire to help refugees and an Ikea sewing machine - learning to sew from motherly advice and youtube tutorials as they began tackling how to make neckties and make them meaningful again.
2013
Our co-founders launched a scrappy Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to develop customization technology to make ties personal and the internet responds with overwhelming support quadrupling initial campaign expectations.
2014
The company defines its purpose as a social mission to create dignified skills-based employment for resettled refugees and is established with our first two refugee hires thanks to a hiring partnership with refugee resettlement agencies in Denver.
2015
The company receives a vital loan, thanks to Colorado Enterprise Fund's support of veteran entrepreneurs, which allows for the launch of in-house textile printing, design of specialty fabrics ideal for neckties, bow ties and scarves.
2016
We relocated out of the artist collective where we were bursting at the seams and into an ideal facility with twice the manufacturing space, a kitchen, air conditioning, and space for a retail store - all to allow for better staff working conditions alongside a mission aligned landlord in the Urban Land Conservancy.
2017
We completed coding of our first major personalized technology interface and launched the long awaited configurator to enable users to customize patterns and products in 500+ colors in addition to popular bridal swatches, all without needing to wait or pay for designer support.
2018
We financed specialized necktie manufacturing equipment to reduce operating costs and greatly improve product quality and speed of production after securing one of our largest ever orders comprised of 8,000+ ties, bow ties and scarves.
2019
Nominated as a finalist for the Good Business Giveaway sponsored by FirstBank, Knotty Tie was voted the winner of the $20k grand prize for Colorado and the company used the proceeds to scale impact by improving staff wages and funding dedicated skills development.
2020
Covid-19 devastated our business and we nearly collapsed as the economy ceased functioning but our ingenuitive staff, with support of community foundations, repurposed our manufacturing to urgently produce more than 100,000 cloth masks for rural hospitals and consumers.
2021
For the second year in a row, we only barely survived as Covid variants continued wreaking havoc on our business as demand for our products languished. We experienced some of our darkest days as a company when business conditions forced us to lay off multiple staff.
2022
As normality and demand for our products began to return we were able to rehire the staff we had tragically laid off the prior year and began the arduous process of rebuilding our team and our pre-pandemic business model.
2023
After ten years of working to improve the lives of resettled refugees through dignified employment the company hit a major impact milestone having exceeded two million dollars in wages paid to refugees staff since inception and even more impact through benefits, training, immersion and skills development.
2024
Our technology for custom design and customization was completely rebuilt to allow for the unique customer design experience we always imagined was possible featuring photorealistic proof imagery and more intuitive recoloring functionality across products.
working together in common cause
Veteran Founded Business
our co-founder developed a passion for serving the refugee community after six years of military service spanning the US, Africa, Europe and the Middle East
Employee Ownership
approximately 30% of the company's ownership is dedicated for employee stock options because employees are critical stakeholders in the company's success
Supported by Foundations
our employment mission has been graciously supported by Untours Foundation, Kenneth King Foundation, AJL Foundation and Colorado Health Foundation
Bedsheet Prototype
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First HQ on Santa Fe
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Early Website Homepage
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Sewing Machine Transport
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Co-Founders Sewing
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First Wedding Clients
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Early Days Team
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Early Custom Proof
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First Xmas Shipping Rush
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Business Journal Feature
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Poets Row Music Video
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OG Sewing Staff
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Second HQ on Inca
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The Bell Hours Concert
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One Million Cups Event
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Hubspot Wearing Knotty Tie
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Denver Mayor Shopping
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COBIZ Magazine Feature
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Weekend Market in Park
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Hillary Wearing Knotty
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Scarf Collab with AirBnB
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SOFAR Concert at HQ
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Los Mocochetes Concert
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fair wages and generous benefits for all staff
Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
healthcare is an unaffordable necessity so we subsidize as least 50% of insurance premiums for all full-time employees with no waiting period after hiring
Paid Time Off in Good and Bad Times
25+ days of paid time off regardless of position with 6 weeks parental leave for births and up to 2 weeks for bereavement in mourning
Roth & Traditional 401k Plans
saving for retirement is a luxury many cannot afford but desperately need so we offer 50% matching 401k contributions for all employees with no vesting
Prominent local and national leaders, among them Madam Secretary Hillary Clinton Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, have visited to tour our social enterprise and to raise awareness for our work. We are grateful for their support and attention to our mission!
