A Knot to Be Reckoned With

April 24, 2008

Bethany Shorb, owner of Cyberoptix TieLab, creates fun and unusual designs that most people wouldn't expect to find on a tie.

Bethany Shorb knows a great thing when she sees it — and she didn't think she was seeing it in neckties. So, like any first-rate entrepreneur, she set out to change that. Shorb owns an on-line, Detroit-based company called Cyberoptix TieLab, which makes custom silk-screened ties that can only be described as hip and edgy. From ties decorated with straight-razor chevrons to those with designs inspired by the Black Plague bacterium, Yersinia Pestis, these are not your typical paisleys and stripes.

Shorb got her start in the decorated apparel industry by making custom clothing featuring LED lights in them. She kept the name of her original company, Cyberoptix, although she admits it doesn't quite fit the tie company. She describes her current endeavor as a happy accident. "The company came about very organically. I put some photos of vintage ties up on Flickr (a photo-sharing Web site) and got crazy blog coverage," she says. "People wanted to know where they could get them, so I started making them."

Shorb offers ties made from either silk or a polyester microfiber, which are good substrates for the water-based inks she prefers. "I'm pretty strong about not using plastisols," she says. While getting her master's of fine arts from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., she felt she had exposed herself to enough chemical dangers and now chooses to avoid them in her work at all costs. "People tell me I'm crazy not to use plastisols because they're better for labor and time. But it's worth it to me to make those small sacrifices," she says.

Shorb does everything by hand, and says she's about as low-tech as anyone can be. She primarily uses a squeegee and ink, marking out where the design goes and lining everything up by eye. Each tie is slightly different, but has a unique feel to it. One of the advantages to making each tie this way is the fact that she can do custom orders. For example, a customer will explain that he wants to wear a tie under a certain vest or jacket. She has the freedom to adjust the design slightly so that it can be seen as much as possible. She also keeps very little in stock, generally only some of her more popular designs and colors. "As soon as an order comes in, I print it and send it," she says.

Cyberoptix ties are sold in boutiques worldwide, including the United States, Europe, Australia and Asia, although Shorb notes that most stores have found her rather than her finding them. "I did solicit a few stores. I looked at them and liked the aesthetic and what they do," she says. However, for the most part, people come to her, which is how she prefers it.

In February, she attended the POOL trade show for the boutique market and upscale retailers, which she found to be good experience, but she says she has as much work as she can take on right now. A big bulk of her business comes from wedding parties, and she does silk screen a few scarves. However, she doesn't have plans to expand beyond accessories.

Shorb's inspiration comes from a variety of sources — including pop culture, art history and her own environment. She often alters a typical tie pattern, such as a houndstooth. From a distance, it appears to be a typical houndstooth, but there's a lot more to see once you get closer — and it might not be what you expect. — Liz Aull

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