Becoming a Minority-Owned, Sustainable Fashion Brand

Made in Pittsburgh, PA est. 2015

Globally, approximately 92 million tons of textile waste are generated each year, and it is estimated that this number will increase to 134 million tons by 2030. Most of these fabrics are polyesters and other synthetic blends that are not biodegradable - think water bottles. The scary part is that while fashion is fast, textile production is neither quick nor easy. Fabric goes through several different channels - design, material production, manufacturing, distribution, and transport; mostly things that we don't even think about when buying our favorite piece. These stages have a devastating impact on our environment, and Knotzland is here to save the day! 

We take the best in textile discards and reuse them to recreate stylish accessories that everyone loves! - Bowties. In doing this, we are vastly reducing the disposal of fabrics that may otherwise be deemed unusable and ultimately end up lying around and polluting our environment. To date, we have rescued over 8,467 pounds of textile waste, and 5,122 lbs of it (and counting) has already made its way to its new home adorning the necks of our fabulous customers!

We understand that creating the textile has already been done, so why not get the most out of it by reducing the effects of its afterlife? Why not commit to extending the life of things that already exist? Hey, we even have our customers sending in fabric to create ties out of their once cherished garments! -It's a movement.

A win for our Partners, a win for our customers, and an overall win for our environment!

In August of 2014, we were founded by Nisha Blackwell, who was let go during the downsizing of a local coffee shop and decided to brew her own ideas. Spurred by a passion, the world around her, and building an environmentally friendly business - Knotzland became a reality. Some of our favorite partners and places to source and rescue high-quality pieces are The Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse, T's Upholstery, Ultra Fabrics, Drape Companies, Other designers in our Sewical Network, and the Minnesota and Pittsburgh Operas. The fabric is truly the first step in creating circular products. Knotzland has grown a powerhouse up-cycling business with goals of cultivating ecosystems that support people and the environment, all while using items that already exist in the Universe- all over the world. 

Skills Sharing

As a self-taught seamstress, Nisha realizes the importance of educational opportunities for fellow creatives and sewing enthusiasts. We work with a dynamic network of women in our region to increase production capacity and provide economic opportunities. Sewing can do several things for an individual. Rather it earning a couple of extra bucks, the inspiration for them to chase their dreams of entrepreneurship, or spark the ability to invest in fixing and reworking the clothing in their own closet, our environment is an open and welcoming possibility. This hyper-local, community-centric production model has allowed us to scale and keep our products handmade while investing in the very people who work so hard to create our pieces.

Quality > Quantity

We realize that fashion is a massive industry with the capacity to crank out numerous look-alike items. However, we are dedicated to sourcing and rescuing high-quality materials, and we enjoy the process of repurposing our found treasure into creative pieces that are unique to our customers' styles. Our loving approach to design emphasizes quality over quantity as we carefully locate, repurpose, and create locally-crafted custom pieces.

We seek out collaborative relationships with designers, artists, and organizations who share our passion as we create a development ecosystem that enhances style, minimizes the impact on the environment, and develop skills that will last a lifetime.

KNOTZLAND and the bowtie logo are trademarks of Knotzland, LLC. All rights reserved.

Style Gallery   >