Kathrine Zeren: A Houston-Based Men's Accessories Designer on a Mission

HOUSTON - July 9, 2015 - PRLog -- HOUSTON, TX – July 9, 2015  Kathrine Zeren, a Houston-based men’s accessories designer, recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund her first US factory order of ethically produced and sustainably sourced neckties, bow ties, and pocket squares.

A Houston, Texas native with a BFA in Apparel Design from the Rhode Island School of Design, Kathrine spent the first part of her career working as women’s woven tops and dresses designer for a larger, corporate retailer in the Midwest. After several years, she decided to take time off to travel abroad and volunteer with some missionary/non-profit organizations in Eastern Europe and South Africa.

After being back in the States and learning about the game-changing business models of Warby Parker and Apolis, she saw an opportunity to create something new.

"I started making ties as a way to raise money to volunteer overseas. At first, it just seemed like a fun challenge, but I later realized that ties could be a vehicle for change in the fashion industry."

Kathrine made it a goal to produce her ties both ethically and sustainably without sacrificing quality. She would only use organic or recycled fabrics, and her line would be made entirely in the USA, where the welfare of workers is protected by law. A couple of years later, she decided to take her newfound passion for men’s accessories and turn it into a business. She was inspired by companies like Warby Parker who have championed socially conscious business practices by streamlining production in a way that enables high quality products to be offered at an affordable price.

Up until now, Kathrine has been making everything herself. Should she reach her goal on Kickstarter, she is looking to not only support American factories, but also to spread the word about why ethical production matters. She believes that it's time for companies to start taking responsibility for the way that they do business without sacrificing quality or craftsmanship: all materials should be sustainably sourced when possible, and workers should be paid a fair wage.

She's already gained the support of other American makers. O'Douds All Natural and Anvil Handcrafted have teamed up with her to produce some great products exclusively for this project, adding apothecary and leather goods to the list of rewards that contributors will have access.

For more information about her Kickstarter or to contribute, go to: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1214387861/kathrine-... (https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kickstarte...)

WHO: Kathrine Zeren
WHERE: Houston, TX
WHAT: Kickstarter campaign to fund first USA factory order
WHEN: From now until 2:31pm, Friday, July 17, 2015.