News From Inside the Tie Lab

Did You Know a Woman Really Landed Us on the Moon? March 10, 2017 14:58

Apollo 11 source code ties via github, printed by Cyberoptix

Guess what, we're still talking about more amazing women this week! While woefully underrepresented in the industry, psssst... also guess what? Women code.  And code well! And have been doing so for a long time!

Margaret Hamilton Original Apollo 11 Source Code

(Shown above: Margaret Hamilton with the code that she wrote for Apollo 11)

On July 20, 1969 the Apollo 11 astronauts succeeded in their goal, landing with near-flawless precision. Shortly after, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took humanity's first historic steps on another world. And if you aren't aware, Margaret Hamilton is the engineer who got us there. She took humanity to the Moon.

If that’s not enough, she is also credited with coining the term “software engineering.” - Read the full interview with Margaret Hamilton on Futurism.com.


Yes. A woman coder took us to the moon! How cool is that??!

Because we love all things having to do with space and to commemorate her epic awesomeness, we've printed an excerpt of her Apollo 11 Guidance Computer (AGC) source code used to program the NASA Command and Lunar Modules. This code was recently made public on Github. We hope this helps to raise awareness of all the women working in science, past and present.

Know of other ceiling-smashing women in science? Let us know if there's others we should feature!

Apollo 11 source code bow tie

We had a lot of fun making this important piece of history into ties and bows.  Next up, we hope to have this on a scarf too, very soon. Want a t-shirt?  I bet we can be convinced!

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.