News From Inside the Tie Lab

Custom Ties for WTRMLN WTR, Queen Bey, and Women Who Rock. March 9, 2017 14:20

Custom neckties for WTRMLWTR with retroreflective printing ink

In honor of International Women's Day, as we continue to talk about women who totally rock (its not a hard thing to do, really!) we’d like to take a moment to talk about one of the most fun custom projects we’ve had the opportunity to be involved with recently - not only because it is retroreflective printing ink on fuchsia, I mean how could that in itself NOT be fun?!?! But it gets even better!  Cool materials are great, but cool materials and hot company! Awww yeah.

We love doing custom work and love even more working with other creative, women-owned and funded companies. A few months back we collaborated with WTRMLN WTR to design and hand-print some pretty snazzy gifts to give out to their team and friends. Extra bonus? We love the product too (SRSLY, it’s delicious). We adore what they stand for in its ingredients and production, and the ladies involved are pretty damn amazing.  

Jody Levy of WTRMLN WTR

A much needed and refreshing change in the often wasteful food and beverage market, Founder and Creative Director Jody Levy explains that their company finds a home for what the industry referred to as “discarded melons” – watermelons to be discarded simply because there was a blemish on an otherwise delicious melon. (I think we should all recognize as a society that a few blemishes don't in any way take away from the real deal...but that's a whole other topic!)

"It’s all part of WTRMLN WTR’s mission to seed change toward healthier lifestyles and more sustainable food harvesting, one bottle at a time. The juice is pressed from ugly watermelon “seconds” that many supermarkets and shoppers pass over from cosmetic imperfections like sunburned skin or dented, misshapen rinds."  

We love working with amazing people, and we bet they sure do too! And extra extra congrats to them announcing their new, expanded product line today and having one seriously rad new business partner - Beyoncé!

WTRMLN WTR investor and partner, Beyoncé

“Congratulations to my partners at WTRMLN WTR,” said Company investor Beyoncé. “I applaud the innovative female leaders at WTRMLN WTR, who inspire us with their creativity and their true commitment to elevating our community and culture.”

BLNDS, aka the Hydration Squad All-Stars! The $3.99 “BLNDS” are available exclusively at Whole Foods for the next six months, with sales benefiting the Whole Planet Foundation, which gives micro-loans to female small business owners and entrepreneurs around the world. The BLNDS will expand to stores including Whole Foods, Kroger, Costco, Safeway, Wegman’s, Sprouts and Amazon.

Um...how cool is that!!?! Rock on WTRMLN WTR and Queen Bey!!!!

WTRMLN WTR custom reflective ties, no flash and flash

In keeping with WTRMLN WTR's vibrant aesthetics and super hot fuchsia branding, we were able to match our narrow fuchsia tie to their existing delicious fuchsia hue and add in some extra bling with our retroreflective ink.  Above on the left shows the print in natural light, and on the right, with a camera flash.

custom retroreflective printed necktie

Let's get flashy!

What the heck is retroreflective ink?  You know the fancy pants reflective prints that usually live on your jogging shoes and safety gear? Now you can rock that shine on a tie!  The grey print on most fabrics, even super bright ones is very subtle until exposed to a direct bright light, led flashlight or camera flash. Be stealth... and then flashy!

Most logo ties are a snoozer. Need some hot swag for your work or organization? Check us out, we can make it happen.

BASIC Code Bow Tie on the Met Gala red carpet! Barry Diller + Diane von Furstenberg May 4, 2016 16:13

From it's origins stemming from the sickly glow of the cathode ray tube to the luminous glamor of the red carpet, our bow tie homage to 1980's Commodore BASIC Code is getting some serious tech love! 

barry diller cyberoptix met gala diane von furstenburg
Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg at the 2016 Met Gala. Mr. Diller wearing a Cyberoptix bow tie. Photo courtesy of Getty Images, Germany.



Featuring a flurry of silver, lustrous and futuristic looks, the fashion elite gathered Monday evening for the Met Museum's annual black-tie extravaganza. 

This year, the Costume Institute ball was centered around the idea of "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology," exploring the relationship between clothes created by hand (or "manus") versus the machine. - CNN


Barry Diller knows his vintage tech!  We're honored to have accessorized his outfit for the 2016 Costume Institute Met Gala, themed Manus x Machina. He and his ever-glamourous date absolutely killed it with their ensemble!!! Ms. von Furstenberg's technicolor butterflies are one of the most talked-about looks of the entire event.  We are overjoyed with this pairing! Thank you so much, Mr. Diller!

Cyberoptix c64 BASIC Code bow tie, as worn by Barry Diller, DVF Met Gala 2016

See the c64 BASIC Code Bow Tie in even more detail right here, printed in an array of CRT monitor color combos.  Mr. Diller wore exactly what is shown here above, mustard yellow printing ink on black, echoing the classic look of the amber and black monochrome monitors.

self tie bow ties by Cyberoptix, c64 BASIC code print

More colors available too! L to R: Dark chartreuse on black; dark chartreuse on emerald; dark chartreuse on olive; ice on french blue; ice on black. Hand-printed in our Detroit studio.
Barry Diller Cyberoptix bow tie Met Gala 2016
Barry Diller & Diane von Furstenberg at the Costume Institute 2016 Met Gala. Mr. Diller wearing a Cyberoptix bow tie. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.