Building a rocket requires the highest quality carbon fiber, and lots of it. But as aerospace

companies shape and mold this advanced material, thousands of pounds of it are simply

discarded as scrap. Far from regular consumer-grade carbon fiber, this material has

unparalleled strength and durability, meant not for decorative car panels but important

structural components on rockets headed to space. 

That’s why, in 2015, Ryan Olliges founded the company 121c, hoping to remanufacture this

post-rocket carbon fiber and to save precious aerospace-grade material from the landfill.

Now, 121c has paired with Crooked Branch Studio, manufacturer and retailer of handcrafted

wooden bow ties, to bring carbon fiber bow ties to the mass market with unprecedented

quality and attention to detail.

In the process, we developed two prototypes, subtle variations in manufacturing techniques

that lead to dramatically different looking products. The first one is:

It all started with the Original classic carbon fiber bow tie, which is crafted out of a flat sheet of carbon fiber. After being

compressed and cured in an industrial hot press, the sheet is precision cut by a water jet

and hand finished. This process gives the tie a glassy, mirror-like surface, a product of the

high-polish presses used to compress the carbon fiber. It also ensures that the tie reflects

light differently depending on the angle (the top photo is it straight-on while the bottom is

when the fibers catch the light).

The flat tie possesses the distinctive ‘basket weave’ carbon fiber look found in high-end

cars and electronics, a perfectly uniform intricate layering of carbon fiber threads into a

single, fabric-like sheet. It’s a perfect gift for any space or automotive nerd, turning boring

formal wear into a fun conversation starter.

However, in addition to the Original tie, we also developed:

The Contour carbon fiber bow tie is an alternate to the Original tie that has been surface-machined to a

smooth, three-dimensional contour. We created this product because we recognize that

many customers love the three-dimensional look of classic, fabric bow ties (and the contour

found on our wooden bow ties). The contouring process machines the many layers of

carbon fiber that make up the material, leaving a silky-smooth satin finish and giving the tie

a smooth curve from top to bottom.

In the process, the machining process creates a flowing, interlocking look that gives the

impression the material is moving (don’t worry, it’s not, the carbon fiber is rock solid and will

not flake). This tie works great for both formal and casual outfits with a carbon fiber pattern

that you will not find anywhere else, let alone in a bow tie.