Toights is the brainchild of Alexander Joo Creative.
After decades of working with clients whose primary business was sourcing products in China, modifying and rebranding them for Western tastes, and then importing them to sell in the North American market, we became experts at it.
After seeing our designs on billions of dollars of merchandise in stores across the country, we decided to take a shot at it, starting with fashion tights (or toights, as the cool kids – or British people – would pronounce it).
It took an entire year just to find a manufacturer who had the right equipment and the patience to help us create Toights. Although it’s a seemingly simple product, it’s a hideously laborious process; no one could print black ink on black hosiery. After months of trial and error, and a flight to Yiwu City – a bullet train away from Shanghai – to visit the factory, we finally had the perfect combination of silky nylon and black, flexible printing that wouldn’t crack when stretched.
Then we shoved them onto a container ship in Shanghai where they made the months-long journey to our one-bedroom apartment in Toronto, Canada, blocking half of the doorway to the restroom.
Each package of Toights cost $2.40 to manufacturer and ship, and we sold them for $39 retail. Then for $19. Then $9. And then we ran out and vowed never to enter the fashion retail space ever again. Jesus fucking Christ.
Although Toights were acclaimed and well-received, to form a successful fashion company, you need constantly refreshed product lines and lots of inventory — all of which require credit and debt. We hate both of those things.
So after the last Toights left our apartment, we got access to our restroom again, and went back to our core competency: design.
Toights was a fun ride, and a shortcut through business school. We didn’t make millions, but we continue to help our clients make millions, because we have a thorough understanding of the logistics of this business. If you’re in this business, we can help!
