Wood Thumb is a San Francisco based start-up that creates wood ties from reclaimed wood. Yes - you read it right 'Wood Ties'. David and Christopher, the founders of Wood Thumb discovered this smart concept. Not only is the concept pretty awesome, but the creations are equally stylish. They are green, look trendy and give you a style statement; you're bound to turn heads when you wear it!

With a little creativity and inspiration, waste materials can be converted into useable products, believes Wood Thumb. With such companies, the world of online selling shines even brighter.

We contacted Wood Thumb for a small interview with us to learn how they started, how they generated the idea, etc. I am sure it must be very inspiring. Catch their interview below with some stylish wood ties and a video introducing the start-up:



David, let's start with a brief introduction of yours.

I’m David. I was born in New York, the son a of a preacher man, and raised in Germany, and Chicago. I went to college in New Orleans where I got into brewing before moving to San Francisco, where I got sucked into, and eventually clawed my way to the top of the glamorous wood tie industry.



What is 'Wood Thumb' all about?

Wood is such an incredible material. It’s so versatile and diverse, and especially with the reclaimed wood we use, each piece is a little part of history. The story of each piece of wood is spelled out in tree rings and nail holes; in paint and termite tracks. We saw such an awe inspiring resource being discarded and resolved to do something to change that. We take wood that might end up in incinerators or landfills and give it a stylish new lease on life.



















What inspired you to start 'Wood Thumb'? We would love to know about its inception.

The first wood tie was made as a Christmas gift for my brother almost a year ago now, but the response it elicited from everyone who saw it was so exciting, we decided to make a few more. The initial plan was to make ties part time, while trying to set up a brewery full time. Eleven months later, I don’t have much time to brew, but Wood Thumb is a full time job for me, eight employees and counting.


Wood Ties is such a unique concept. What kind of reception it has had so far?

The reaction to our ties has been astounding. The interest and excitement our first ties generated and that our ties continue to generate remains a huge factor in the confidence with which we started and run this business. Every time I wear a tie out people notice it: they want to know more about it, touch it, feel it, even try it on. It’s a lot of fun to wear.






























Would you like to explain the creative work process involved in making wood ties?

All of the wood that comes to our factory to be turned into ties is reclaimed redwood. It might have been a barn, a house, a fence, a bridge, or a tunnel, in some cases for a century or more before it was discarded. We take beams of all shapes and sizes, and we square, rip and shape them into ties that are then chopped and strung together. We finish them with only natural linseed oil, to let the unique grain of each piece shine through. We brand them with the Wood Thumb logo, before sending them out into the world to have a host of new adventures.

















































Though it has been a small journey so far, but what is your fondest memory with 'Wood Thumb'?

One experience that never gets old is seeing people out and about wearing something that I created. The first time I ran into someone wearing one of our ties I was so excited I bought him a beer.


Are you going to enter some other product line using same concept?

We have assembled a very talented, passionate team here at Wood Thumb, and our craftsmen are always thinking up bold new ideas for products and improvements. We have a number of plans in the pipeline right now, for re-imagined ties, and for some totally new and unexpected products. We’re going to continue to make products that make our customers stand out in a crowd. I’m not at liberty to go into greater detail just yet. You’ll simply have to keep an eye on Wood Thumb.


Now that 'Wood Thumb' is up and running. What are you struggling the most for?

Right now the biggest struggle is keeping up with demand. The more ties we sell, the more people find out a about Wood Thumb and want a tie of their own. It’s a tremendous positive feedback loop, and we’re delighted to have that challenge.





























What are your dreams/vision for 'Wood Thumb'?

As I said, we have a very talented group of people here at Wood Thumb, with a diverse range of interest and expertise. Moving forward we want to create a space where we can harness that talent, diversity and the reputation for innovation, quality, and style that Wood Thumb has carved out to bring some new ideas to the fore, whether it’s a clever spin on something familiar, or something totally new.






























David, thank you for the interview. It is great to see Wood Thumb growing! E-junkie wishes you all the best for its rest of the journey.


Wood Thumb on Facebook and Twitter.