Photo courtesy of Dr. Rebecca Decker and the Catalyst Campus
We love to collaborate and create custom, one-of-a-kind upcycled award plaques and name tags made with real circuit boards. They're great for recognition events, awards, and team member identification. Who would have guessed it would be so fun to shoot lasers at circuit boards? Please inquire at the bottom of the page if you are interested in geeky and sustainable award plaques.
Laser engraved award plaques made with 100% recycled circuit boards are a fun and unique way to recognize your team and celebrate achievements. You can design them yourself, or let us do the layout for you. Prices start at $54.50 each and plaques come ready to hang on the wall. Please contact us using the form below or check out the product page here https://techwears.com/products/circuit-board-award-plaques for more details.
Photo credits: Zero Fox Given and Northeastern University Trash 2 Treasure
Photo courtesy of Post Landfill Action Network
Happy Birthday Colorado (August 1, 1876)!! We love this beautiful State and the people that live here. It’s been said that “you must have been really high to come up with a circuit board tie.” It’s true, our hometown of Colorado Springs is 6,035 feet above sea level!
We’ve long wanted to capture the majesty of our iconic Colorado flag in a #UpcycleAlltheTech TechWears kind of way. The obvious design would be to make a flag using circuit boards in the appropriate flag colors, carefully cut into shape and arranged. Finding recycled circuit boards in red and blue is doable, but when it comes to finding recycled white circuit boards, those things are so rare that we would only be able to make 1 or 2 of them and they would be priced very high! Maybe someday we’ll get lucky and find a big bunch of white circuit boards, but for now playing with lasers seems to be the best path forward. Or at least it did in 2016 when we first had the idea.
Well if a picture is worth a thousand curse words, the above should make it clear how well those efforts went. Towards the end of 2016, we were just learning to use the CO2 laser at the Pikes Peak Makerspace. We wanted to make a Laser Engraved Colorado Flag Circuit Board Tie. But after trying 6 different ways of transposing the Colorado Flag image with mediocre results, and with the considerable amount of effort still required to convert this odd shaped circuit board into a tie, our Laser Engraved Colorado Flag Tie project was shelved.
Then Jerimie came along. Not only is he ridiculously good looking in his Green Circuit Board Tie, but he is as very talented designer. We knew that Jerimie loved Colorado as much as we do, and we knew he could help us pay homage to our beautiful state with the use of lasers.
He made a beautiful graphic that when laser engraved on the recycled black circuit boards would create a 3 fold effect. It would be recognizable as the Colorado Flag, it would be special to Colorado Springs locals because of the Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods Silhouettes, and it would make a nice clock (See bottom right photo)!
However, there was still just that one pesky problem. The same problem Drew had run into before when we was trying to create a Colorado Flag Circuit Board Tie on a black and copper recycled circuit board. The C just doesn't stand out enough to be a proper tribute to Colorado. But we're too far along to give this up! So Drew got to experimenting again. This time with Vintaj Patina paint, and pattern fills for the C.
Option A -
Option B - Still requires some development. The paint bleeds under the tape and runs up the circuit traces.
Option C -
Or vote with your dollars and BUY NOW! (Painted design not for sale. Yet...)
Thanks for reading and Happy Colorado Day!
]]>Pursuing the Circuit Board Tie Patent seemed like a no brainer. By accident, we had created something the World had never seen and the few people that saw the first one were crazy about it.
Perhaps this was the beginning of an iconic product destined to be adopted by the masses?
Okay, maybe we got a little ahead of ourselves there.
Transforming an artistic creation into a product that is replicable and ready for market is not for the faint of heart.
It takes a lot of trial and error, and as it turns out, we’re not the first ones to try.
Part of getting a design patent is research into other patents that are in some way similar to your application. While there were no electronic materials or circuit boards used in previous design patents, there was a wide range of neck tie patents issued from 1950-2012 (pictured above).
Now the question becomes, did any of these folks base an entire company around these creations like TechWears?
Were they successful?
Are they still in production?
We may have been the first to create a circuit board tie, but we are clearly not the first to seek intellectual property protection for an edgy neck tie design!
TechWears’ values are rooted in sustainability and conscious consumption.
There is so much waste created in the world today and it provides a bountiful stream of material to make ties with.
The worst thing for fashion that could happen is someone could design a circuit board necktie by using new material manufactured especially for this purpose.
The patent allows some assurance that we won’t walk into Target one day and see Circuit Board Ties for sale that were made in a toxic factory in China from raw materials mined from the Earth.
TechWears has created the World’s first Circuit Board Tie and we use recycled electronics to make them. They are functional, beautiful, and now, PATENTED!
To the growth in concious consumerism and #upcyclingallthetech,
Drew
]]>Through a series of serendipitous events, an opportunity to “leap” TechWears into the future presented itself. #AmplifyNYC16, a branding summit created by Janine Just Inc and Sabina Knows, promised a curriculum that could change TechWears forever.
I knew I had to fly to NYC to get a bite of that Big Apple.
It was just the type of immersive learning experience I had been looking for.
After all, I was making circuit board ties and jewelry for over a year before I realized what industry I fit in.
Once I understood that TechWears is leading edge in eco fashion, I knew that reading blogs and studying industry publications wouldn’t be fast enough.
I needed a springboard!
Never before have I attended a conference as impactful as #AmplifyNYC16.
Each day delivered tremendous value through an agenda packed with industry experts. The combined industry experience must have exceeded hundreds of years.
My brain was getting high-octane fuel and the possibilities for TechWears were unfolding in my mind.
The conference provided a type of experience and networking opportunity that just isn’t available in Colorado. After all, New York City is a global fashion hub! It would have taken me years to learn all of this on my own.
Not only were my educational expectations exceeded, but my product line was validated through an overwhelming interest from New Yorkers.
People would stop me in the streets to ask where I got the circuit board tie, take business cards, take pictures with me, and heck, I even sold a few TechWears out of my backpack!
I joked with a friend that I had promoted myself from selling out of the back of my car to selling TechWears on the streets of Brooklyn.
Bringing TechWears to NYC turned out to be just the opportunity I’ve been looking for.
I made some great new friends and contacts, and my toolbox is stuffed with 2016 skills to get TechWears in front of people that are itching to find it.
This truly will be a “leap year” for TechWears!
I’d like to extend a huge THANK YOU to Janine and Sabina for their exceptional work putting on #AmplifyNYC16.
The content was incredible, and for a niche brand like TechWears, it provided the knowledge and inspiration we need to grow.
TechWears is officially AMPLIFIED and this changes everything!
Exciting opportunities lie ahead.
Drew
]]>
It is a great honor to be included in the list of 2016 Greenie Award nominees.
These individuals and organizations are not only peers and collaborators, but mentors and role models to TechWears.
There is no way to lose in this pool of nominees.
BUT WE WANT TO WIN SO PLEASE VOTE FOR TECHWEARS EVERYDAY UNTIL APRIL 21st!
Now in its 8th year, the Greenie awards and Fashion Show were started by ColoradoSprings Veda Salon and Spa.
What started as a humble effort to recognize local leaders in sustainability has evolved into a signature annual event for Colorado Springs.
I had the honor of attending my first Greenie Awards event in 2013 when the company I worked for, BlueStar Recyclers took home the Greenie Award in the Business category.
I knew that I would never miss the event, but I had no idea that just 3 years later my own business would be nominated!
Have you voted for TechWears yet?
Yes, and this is what makes the show a must attend.
Veda stylists go all out and bring their creativity to eco fashion design.
Using waste materials either collected from the salons, their homes, or wherever else they can find waste that wants to be made pretty.
Sound unreal?
Well, it is. Just check out the photos.
Photos courtesy of Veda Salon and Spa.
Yep, all of those amazing outfits are made with upcycled materials.
Whether made from shampoo bottles cut into little pieces or sewing together old vinyl banners, the outfits are undeniably out of this world.
From the pictures, you may not be able to tell what the different elements are made of, but when you get up close it’s a “WOW” moment when you recognize what the material is.
Agreed!
There is so much important work being done by sustainability professionals around the world trying to minimize the risk of climate change.
We still need to cut loose sometimes and throw a great party!
Thinking in terms of win/win, it’s a great fundraising opportunity for environmental non-profits.
In the last 7 years, the Veda Salon and Spa Greenie Awards and Fashion show have generated over $350,000 for local non-profits!
This year 100% of the proceeds will benefit the Rocky Mountain Field Institute who have done significant work helping our region recover from devastating wildfires. They also mobilize and lead volunteers in trail maintenance efforts which we depend on for our recreational opportunities.
Jump in and get involved. Here are some ideas.
Hope to see you on April 30th!
Drew
]]>
It’s a simple fact that the success TechWears has enjoyed thus far has only been made possible by a supportive community.
From the first accidental customers that inspired me to make more circuit board ties and jewelry and show them off at hundreds of events, to the successful funding of a shotgun Kickstarter campaign last year, there is no doubt that the last two years have been tremendously exciting and empowering.
It has only been made possible because people have purchased and promoted these crazy fun ideas I have about eco-fashion accessories and jewelry.
Although circuit board ties and jewelry are perhaps not a Colorado Springs product line, I am unsure if I would have found such quick success in any other city.
Colorado Springs shows up in a big way to support its entrepreneurs!
I am just very thankful for the opportunity to build this purpose-driven business started right here in my hometown.
Colorado Springs Rocks!!!
It’s been several months now yet I am still humbled to have won these two distinguished awards.
The Business Greenie Award from Veda Salon and Spa,
and Best Sustainable Business from the Colorado Springs Business Journal!
The awards were endowed by these two remarkable local organizations, but even more impactful, for me, is that they were voted on by the community, a people’s choice!
This recognition makes me blush and at the same time inspires me to work harder.
Thank you to everyone who voted!
To everyone who has purchased TechWears, you’re just the best for using your wallet to support an Ecopreneur finding his way.
I wish there was a way to measure the joy it brings my heart to see my work appreciated, treasured, and utilized in its intended purpose.
It makes frequent 90+ hour work weeks more than worth it.
It takes a lot more than customers to get this far and I want to acknowledge the assistance from many individuals and organizations in Colorado Springs that have made significant contributions to my success.
Whether it was helping make circuit board ties for the Kickstarter, using a circuit board tie in a photo shoot, or just welcoming me into your networks, many people have participated in the most upcycled tech startup of the 21 st century.
There are so many individuals and organizations I am indebted to that I want to thank. Inevitably I will accidentally omit some important ones but after holding on to a draft of this blog for 3 months, it’s time to publish it and move forward to seize the wonderful opportunities before TechWears.
UCCS Gallery of Contemporary Art – Who is that stud up above in the circuit board kilt? Well, this is one project that I always meant to write a blog about but have been working so hard on production development it slipped through the cracks. The “High Tech Highlander” was a full costume piece created for the ramp show as part of their annual fundraiser, Brilliant! How cool to be invited by GOCA to participate in my first ramp show and how awesome to be able to collaborate with the talented Lola Borealis Upcycled Glass on the project. I still have this piece and wear the vest quite frequently. Huge thanks to Stephen for being such a great and hunky model! More details about this piece are available on social media or by email.
Pikes Peak Community College – PPCC connections continue to be some of the most valuable relationships I have. As a high school dropout returning to college at 25 years old, getting involved on campus and serving as Student Government President was certainly the most pivotal experience of my life. PPCC provided great opportunities to reinvent myself and so many people at the campus played a part in who I am today.
University of Colorado Colorado Springs – Thanks to scholarship donors, I was able to fully immerse myself in my education which has left me well prepared for the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. Many people and programs on campus helped me learn to navigate a path forward when there is no trail and no map. Shout out to Dean Venkat Reddy at the College of Business for being the first local celebrity brave enough to wear a circuit board tie!
Blue Star Recyclers – Working for an incredible award-winning social enterprise right out of college was a great honor. I am very proud of the work Blue Star does to create good paying jobs for people with disabilities while recycling electronics to the highest environmental standards in the industry. I miss the team dearly but enjoy seeing the growth and success stories they’ve created since I left.
Mind Rocket LLC – Joe and Tucker introduced me to the world of mechanical engineering which I didn’t expect to fall in love with. I am thankful for the product development assistance and am happy to see the success of the Sleep Shepard Blue project.
Qualtek Manufacturing – The Fagnant Family has offered many assists along the way. Usually, it comes in the form of an introduction to someone who ends up saving me a lot of time and shortcutting my knowledge gap. The Fagnant Family are important role models for the Colorado Springs community through their Q-Munity partnerships and involvement in local economic development efforts. I feel lucky to know them and to have earned their respect.
1 Million Cups Colorado Springs – Our local chapter of 1 Million Cups is pretty dang awesome. A top 5 performing chapter of all chapters nationally, the folks that attend the weekly 9 am on Wednesday are some of the best people I know. Colorado Springs knows how to build and support an entrepreneurial ecosystem and 1 Million Cups has been a big part of that. Click on the link for more info and plan to attend one of the weekly meetings.
Catalyst Campus – I am very thankful for the many wonderful events I’ve attended at this facility, as well as for the great backdrop for our photo shoot! Congratulations to the Catalyst Campus for winning the Creative Workspace Award and best of luck with your ambitious plans! Check out the link and try out the beautiful coworking space with a one-month free trial!
Scott Majors Photography – If you’re not following @flixaddiction on Instagram, you should. I’m not a “dog person,” but Scott’s photos made me feel like a dog fanatic! I’m not a Skateboarder either, but Scott’s photos made me feel like I could bust out a 1080 like Tony Hawk. When it came time to get some professional shots of cool kids wearing circuit board ties and jewelry there was no one else for the job. Keep Scott in mind for your photography needs!
Pikes Peak Library District – The 21 C library was the first place I ever saw a 3D printer and also the first time I ever used a laser on a circuit board tie. Innovative event programming and adaptable workspaces that are focused on the future make this truly the library of the future. Thanks, 21C Library for being an awesome resource for our community!
Pikes Peak Makerspace – Proud to be a member of this great organization that provides access and education for learning all the techie stuff that I was completely clueless about. In the future, I hope to have more time to help others with their projects. Currently, every time I am in there it feels like I’m in Mission Impossible with the lasers going off combined with the deadlines I am facing. Many members of the Makerspace have helped me speed up project development tremendously and one day I would like to return the favor! Check out the link for more information about joining and about upcoming classes.
In no particular order, I would like to acknowledge the following folks and organizations for helping me find my way in creating a global brand in upcycled products.
Mom, Dad, Tara, Alex, Blue Twig Studio, Jane Dillon, Sonja Johnson, Robert Tavert Photography, Sabina Knows, Titan Robotics, Cottonwood Center for the Arts, Linear Manufacturing, Ginseng Creative, JPM Prototype, Gina Mitchell Design, Colorado Springs Business Journal, Lola Borealis Upcycled Glass, Raven Trantham, Shaina Moore, Jerimie Lee, Stu Scott, The Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado, Charles and Tauni of Homecostumers.com, Ginseing Creative, Sovenco, Onsite Electronics Recycling, E Tech Recyclers, K8e Orr, Nikki Stitch, Colorado Coalition for Social Impact, The Colorado Springs Independent, UCCS Office of Sustainability, UCCS Green Action Fund, UCCS Chancellor’s Leadership Class, Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center, Dirty Dish by Design, Whimsical Monkey Designs, RobotsandMath.com, Peak Alliance for a Sustainable Future, Dragon Theatre, Colorado Farm and Art Market, The Downtown Sunday Market, New Earth Beads, Colorado Springs Young Professionals, Tiny House Jamboree, BC Tool and Cutter Grinding, PPCC Office of Sustainability, Nate Dirnberger, TechStyle NYC, City of Colorado Springs and you too!
I definitely appreciate the fact that you read all of this!
I wish it was as simple as moving forward from this point but nothing in life worth doing is ever that simple.
I need more help, and I need it right meow!
Google needs help recognizing how serious I am about building TechWears into a massively successful global business.
Other than my personal social media, my @TechWears Instagram, and all of the events I attend and share TechWears at, I have largely failed at capturing the excitement for the brand instead of just me.
So, shifting the focus from "Drew the Founder" to "TechWears the Social Impact business" is a top priority.
You can help me get a jump start right now in 3 different ways.
If you have purchased products from TechWears, or have enjoyed my work in any other way please consider taking one of the following actions:
After selling thousands of products over the last two years, anything I can do to capture some of the feedback I have received in person, in a digital format, that Google will understand, will help to raise my profile and credibility significantly.
Thank you much for reading this and for your interest in TechWears!
It is my honor to be at the helm of this company and I will give it everything I got to grow the business, to create jobs, and increase social impact!
Sincerely,
Drew Johnson
Chief Executive Upcycler
www.TechWears.com
After 28 months of introducing thousands of people to our line of circuit board ties and jewelry through markets and art festivals, I’ve gotten pretty good at telling the story. It’s only recently that I realized I’ve been telling it all wrong!
I’ve always said that “everything that you see with TechWears was a big happy accident.” and while it’s true that I never anticipated starting a circuit board tie company, after recently creating a new circuit board tie design, I now see that the whole process has been rather intentional. The ties I’ve been making and selling for the last two years have been wonderful, cutting-edge technology if you will.
I am very proud of each and every circuit board tie I have sold, but the new design is a game changer! I am so excited to finally introduce the TechWerars Circuit Board Tie 2.0 to the World.
It took many (many) failed prototypes and lots of curse words to create a circuit board tie that is ready for Hollywood.
To understand where it is that we are going, we must first understand where we have been.
In an effort to fully explain one of the most frequently asked questions (How did you come up with the idea?) I would like to start this story at the beginning.
The very first circuit board tie I made was a response to a wardrobe crisis.
I knew that I simply had to have a circuit board tie, so like all essential needs, I turned to Google to point me in the right direction. To my utter disappointment, all that I could find was a silk tie with a circuit board pattern printed on it.
I couldn't believe it.
If you are going to rock a tie as nerdy as circuit boards why would you only go halfway with silk?
I needed a necktie made with real circuit boards and it didn’t exist. So I did what any unreasonable person would do, and I made one myself!
I used a Dremel to cut, drill, and chain together some attractive circuit boards I had been holding on to for years. It was a dusty and hazardous mess creating it, but well worth it in the end.
It didn’t matter that it hung a little crooked or had imperfections, I had created my very own circuit board tie to wear at work.
September 21st, 2012 [Photo Credit: Colleen Burke]
I just loved wearing the circuit board tie to work.
As Director of Business Development for a nonprofit electronics recycler, it was great for breaking the ice at networking events and for about a year I enjoyed wearing the tie at special events and public relations opportunities, like being interviewed on TV.
When I wasn’t wearing it, it hung on the wall next to my desk. It just made me happy to have it around. I felt good about wearing something that I had created myself.
Along came a suggestion from a friend and mentor who told me I should put the circuit board tie into an upcoming steampunk art show.
I resisted this suggestion.
I didn’t consider the tie to be art, it was just an important part of my wardrobe.
I told her that I would never consider selling it, it was simply too valuable in my job as a conversation starter. She explained to me that I could show it at the art show and not sell it. “It will be good publicity for the company,” she said.
Okay fine, that was a good enough reason as I was very passionate about the good work my company was doing to employ folks with developmental disabilities through electronics recycling. Anything I could do to attract more attention and get more people interested in the business was a good thing.
October 9th, 2014 [This picture is one of my first Instagram posts so I used a little too much filter LOL]
So there it was!
I was now an “artist” with a piece on display in an art gallery.
I eagerly awaited the show to conclude so that I could pick up my tie and put it back where it belongs, by my desk or around my neck.
Well, when I went to go pick it up, the curator of the show mentioned that someone had been very fond of it and would probably buy it if I would sell it.
He mentioned a price high enough that my position about not selling the tie flipped from NO to YES like a light switch. I said, “YES, call him and sell it!”
It wasn’t like a million dollars or anything, but I had never considered putting a value on something I had crafted with my own hands from parts that I had collected for free.
Were my time and craftsmanship really worth money?
Little did I know what was to come…
Selling this circuit board tie had left a void in my apparel options that could only be replaced by creating a new one.
Well, unsurprisingly, the creation of the new tie went a little easier the second time, some would argue that the tie came out even better!
I liked the tie and it still evoked the same type of conversation starting and ice breaking critical to my job, but I began to be troubled that the tie hung a little crooked, but I’ll let you be the judge…
July 2014 [Photo Credit: Christian Murdock]
When I decided to leave my cushy job and start a business, I still had no idea that my world would eventually become completely consumed with creating circuit board ties and jewelry from recycled electronics.
I did, however, recognize that I wanted to improve the design and get the tie to hang straight.
How could I walk into a big-time CEO’s office and command respect with a circuit board tie that was crooked?
Something must be done!
So went to the drawing board to build a better, straighter, recycled circuit board tie.
Meanwhile, I expanded my range of wearable, recycled, circuit board art and showed off my jewelry line at farm and art markets in the Colorado Springs area.
June 2014 [Photo Credit: Larry Stebbins]
For circuit board tie # 3, I decided to spend as much time as necessary to cut the lines exactly straight.
As I remember it, I spent about 8 hours going over the same lines with a razor blade until I was all the way through the circuit board.
In the end, my hands hurt, but it seemed like I had created a circuit board tie that would hang straight, plus I had not created a lot of toxic dust in the process!
This was progress in the right direction!
Well, the circuit board tie was straighter than any previous attempts, but there were other issues. Mainly, the rings joining the sections were uneven so the tie would get stuck on itself and come apart.
Ugh! Back to the drawing board.
All along this journey, I have benefited from having no shame in calling people I know and asking questions. Most people are generally of good nature and will help if they can or else point you in the right direction.
I thought of a buddy from college that I knew to be a talented mechanical engineer.
I wondered if perhaps there was a laser or something that could cut these circuit boards straight, I knew my buddy Griebs would know.
Little did I know that calling Joe with Mind Rocket LLC was the beginning of an exciting trajectory shift for my products and career.
Drew and Joe at the Sleep Shepard booth at CES 2015 in Las Vegas [Check out sleepshepherd.com if you have trouble sleeping]
So it turns out that the most practical type of laser (CO2) can’t cut all the way through a circuit board, due largely to the fact that it won’t pierce metal, but it can engrave it!
It turns out that most circuit boards have a thin grounding layer of copper underneath the surface that is beautifully exposed after the laser burns off the coating.
This realization, combined with the fact that for the first time I had a giant stack of identical circuit boards opened up a world of possibilities.
These particular recycled circuit boards had been given to me by a local company.
They were a beautiful glossy black, but most people were not used to seeing black circuit boards. Hitting them with the laser added a lot of depth and created a dramatic eye-catching effect.
I thought they were pure awesomeness and since I had also learned to cut them straight I thought I should protect the idea by seeking a circuit board tie patent.
Apart from being worried that someone might come along and start making circuit board ties out of new circuit boards, crushing my efforts to use 100% recycled materials, I knew that I had to do some strong marketing to get them out into the world.
After lots of brainstorming and planning, I decided that what I really needed was a portable upcycling factory. Fully stocked, with a laser and all the equipment I could possibly need to make the finest circuit board ties and jewelry the World has ever seen I couldn't go wrong.
So, I launched the Tiny TechWears Factory Project on Kickstarter September 30th 2016.
Boy did I learn a lot during the Kickstarter.
I seriously wish I had been better about blogging during that time because it was a very exciting campaign.
I had created a series of laser engraved circuit board ties that were reversible and adjustable in length.
You could wear the black side for your formal event, or the laser engraved side for a more fun and funky look.
I thought surely I was about to take the world by storm!
You would receive your circuit board tie by Christmas, and you got to help me achieve my dream.
Well, both of those promises were fulfilled.
However, during the campaign, I became inspired to think beyond the "Tiny Factory" and invested big in advertising on social media.
The campaign was successfully funded but at the end of the day but I had spent any potential profits on marketing and production expenses.
The only tangible asset I had after the campaign was a thermal printer for shipping labels.
But let me tell you something...
That thermal shipping label printer is incredible!
But the most amazing thing about the Kickstarter was the obvious indication from folks around the world who thought I was on to something.
When 2016 came around I went back to work on my vision.
This time, instead of trying to figure out how I could make thousands of ties, I simply focused on making the types of circuit board ties that I wanted to create.
Spending all day creating just one beautiful luxury circuit board tie brought me great joy through the process.
People kept buying these unique, one of a kind, ties. So, I just kept making them!
I remain so very thankful for the support and the fact that people are willing to buy my work.
I signed up for another Summer of non-stop markets and festivals to show my circuit board ties and jewelry to communities around Colorado.
Because Circuit Board Jewelry and Hops go together so well, right?
It was April 2016 and my Cousin was visiting from Fort Collins, Colorado.
We had gone into business together to grow organic hops for Local Relic Brewing in Colorado Springs and we were preparing the plants for the growing season.
We got to talking about the circuit board tie and all the different methods I had tried while refining the tie. I wanted to make it seamless and eliminate the jingle of the rings. I had tried tape, wire, string, and had even tried just keeping the tie in one piece. I was quick to realize that was a bad idea. When I sat down and the tie jabbed me in the throat.
I wanted to produce ties that would help people get an edge in their careers while having some fun with the dress code.
I wanted to make ties that could pass the “kid test” and not break under pressure.
I wanted to build circuit board ties of substance that didn’t feel cheap and flimsy.
I wanted TechWears ties to be seen as a lasting value that could be donated or re-gifted when they are no longer wanted.
I wanted to make a circuit board tie from recycled electronics that you could walk into any boardroom, any job interview, any conference or meeting and give a presentation in confidence that you look dang snazzy in your techie tie.
As my cousin and I talked, an idea emerged.
My Cousin being an environmental engineer gets pretty down and nerdy when it comes to technology and fabrication.
What if we created a piece to attach to each tie that joins the sections together?
What if we used a 3D printer to do this?
What if instead of being circuit boards on both sides, it’s a funky look on the back side made with science?
Yeah!
What if and why not?
Let’s do this!
Sure, it would have taken a mechanical engineer maybe 6 days to do what took me 6 months.
I felt like I needed to have control of the prototyping process, that way I could make a tie, then wear it to see how it functioned.
TechWears being a one-person operation, and not having any engineers who owed me any favors, I dug deep and began to study computer-aided design.
Getting these new parts drawn in CAD was painful at first but after a few trial and error runs, I discovered I had a real knack for it!
Learning the ropes was sailing along pretty quick and managed to be 3D printing the first ones in no time.
I was fascinated by the available 3D printing materials out there.
Through Instagram, I found an amazing company called ReFil that makes 100% recycled content 3D printing filaments in the Netherlands.
I started with a 100% Recycled ABS made from car dashboards and sampled a 100% recycled PET made from soda bottles.
Oh man, I was in love with these products.
Check out the amazing 3D print filaments offered by http://www.re-filament.com/
Unfortunately, without owning a 3D printer, there was no way to make the number of ties I needed to make.
So, I had to move on to another production method.
I do want the world to know that part of the reason it took so long to develop this new design is that I have a personal grudge against plastic.
I just hate how plastic pollution has trashed the planet and the reality is, plastic recycling will never be enough to solve the problem.
We need to stop consuming one-time use products and get back to the old school way of reusing durable containers.
For now, though, it is important that TechWears moves forward while actively seeking a long-term solution for production of these parts that is sustainable and has a net positive impact on the environment.
This is not an easy task! But I am encouraged by some of the work being done by huge companies like Adidas to use plastic cleaned from the ocean for manufacturing shoes.
I fully support corporate goliaths using their research and development dollars to create products that are more sustainable so that startups like TechWears have access to these materials from ground zero! There is no doubt about consumer preference at this point.
WE ARE SICK AND TIRED OF PRODUCTS THAT TRASH THE PLANET!
#EndRant
Hopefully, after reading all of this, you can understand why I’m making a big deal about the upgraded model of circuit board tie.
From the users perspective it is a huge improvement and here's why:
Well, I am just so glad you asked! The answer is absolutely YES!
Although I do not yet have a timeline for providing this service, I believe that all manufacturers should be responsible for their products from cradle to grave. I would be delighted to upgrade your existing tie I just need to know how many people are interested and figure out how much it is going to cost for each tie. Please reach out to let me know this is something you wish to be contacted about.
If you’ve read this entire blog and don’t understand the passion and purpose driving this product line and this company then I have failed you.
As I mentioned at the beginning I always thought of TechWears as one big happy accident.
What I have come to realize the last couple of months is that at some point I unknowingly began to act very intentionally in creating a path for TechWears to create jobs and impact the world in a much more substantive way.
A circuit board tie is a symbol.
What is that symbol capable of (other than helping people dress sharp)?
The future of TechWears is driven by the desire to discover the unknown and be a positive force in STEM education and for producer responsibility in manufacturing.
How far we are able to go depends largely on you.
Thank you for supporting the most upcycled tech startup of the 21 st century and spreading the word so we can #UpcycleAllTheTech!
Sincerely, Drew
Drew Johnson
Founder and Chief Executive Upcycler
TechWears Ltd.
]]>For those that may not know, “con,” is short for “convention” and refers to a very specific sort of gathering. People come from far and wide to geek out on everything from Astronauts to Zymurgy. Cons may have different themes. Such as comic books, technology, or in the case of GalaxyFest, all things sci-fi.
In its fifth year, GalaxyFest is Southern Colorado’s largest gathering of geeks and freaks. The age range of attendees was truly remarkable, it wasn’t uncommon to see someone in their 90’s walking around the convention floor. Or maybe that was just really great makeup!? It was obvious that a lot of people had put many hours into their costumes.
This costumed dynamic also created a different type of interaction when sharing TechWears at the booth. More than meeting a new person, we were interacting with famous characters. It’s not every day you get a chance to sell a pair of circuit board earrings to Obi Wan Kenobi! Figuring out some of the tougher costumes and interacting with them turned out to be very enjoyable (most of the time).
We made this GalaxyFest Circuit Board Tie (plus a bunch of keychains) to showcase the possibilities of combining laser engraving technology with recycled electronics. We think it came out pretty neat and were pleased to give it away to a lucky winner at the end of the event!
One thing is for sure. At the next Con, we’re not going to be left out of the costuming fun. Don’t you think Drew would make a great Shaggy?
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Long ago, the accidental discovery that is TechWears consumed my entire existence. However, that doesn’t mean I knew where I was going with it! I just kept moving forward because I recognized a profound love of creating beautiful wearable art from recycled electronics. I had found more than a passion, I had found my calling in life.
It seemed like such a natural fit. Coming from a background in sustainability and electronics recycling, selling circuit board jewelry and ties wasn’t much of a stretch. I got to talk to lots of different people about recycling and I loved educating the public about resource conservation, pollution, and conscious consumption.
After setting up at countless art festivals and events I began to understand that I was going to have to step up my game. I wanted to create the products that I could clearly see in my head, but despite my best effort, I couldn’t produce them in real life. I identified a skills gap in engineering and math so I took action to educate myself. I redesigned the circuit board tie and applied for a patent. I got very serious about upcycling and studied advanced manufacturing techniques.
During this journey, I learned about numerous companies in the USA that make phenomenal products from repurposed materials. The upcycling “trend” is actually a very old practice! In fact, upcycling used to just be a normal way of life! I decided to do a Kickstarter campaign to fund my next upcycling venture, The Tiny Factory Project.
Running the Kickstarter was a great experience and I learned so much from the mass exposure. The biggest takeaway, that I never (EVER) saw coming, is the interest from the fashion community. Yes, I know, it takes a special kind of person to make circuit board ties and never even think of it as a fashion product. I was just obsessed with creating the most beautiful products possible, without considering how they might fit into the world.
So, in conclusion, TechWears is (and has always been) an eco-fashion accessory design company. It just took me 18 months to figure it out! I’m just happy people responded so positively to my work and encouraged me along the way. This journey simply would not be possible without the tremendous support of my friends, family, and community. I am filled with gratitude and inspired to bring my very best effort into the fashion world.
Watch out Calvin Klein! What you know about a circuit board tie!?
Sincerely, Drew
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