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Taylor Stitch Custom Fit Dress Shirts Are The Buzz In San Francisco

Name of business: Taylor Stitch; www.taylorstitch.com

Mission: Our mission is to partner technology and American tailoring to create custom fit dress shirts of incredible value and to distill the world marketplace through the lens of craftsmanship and value.

Founded: 2008  

Initial Investment: $20,000

Broke Even: Not yet, but soon…

Where: San Francisco  Founders: Barrett Purdum ’07, barrett@taylorstitch.com, and Michael Maher ‘07, Michael@taylorstitch.com

How The Idea Began: My dad would bring back these really sharp custom shirts with colorful patterns from Hong Kong. After he realized that I kept taking his shirts, he would have shirts made for me and they were only $50 a piece. Mike and I knew there had to be a market for younger men to buy unique custom shirts online.  

Initial Preparation to Germinate Idea: Mike and I first traveled to Hong Kong to source manufacturing. After meeting with many tailors and business people in the garment industry we realized our initial volume was too low to source production overseas. Soon after that we found a reputable factory in New Jersey that has been making custom shirts for over 75 years.  

Favorite Thing About the Business: The excitement and adrenaline that come upon you when your ideas come to life and the pieces come together.

Worst Thing About the Business: Wearing custom shirts and living in San Francisco while splitting a room with my business partner and eating lots of rice and PBJ.