Charlotte’s local mens line Ole Mason Jar. Born from a long intrigue with fashion, Ole Mason Jar was founded by Bradley Rhyne and Filipe Ho. We have always had aspirations of starting our own clothing company and wanted to shortly after graduating from Appalachian State University, but we knew in order to create a successful company, we needed experience, explains Rhyne and Ho. Building on a long-term strategy to gain the necessary experience to start a company, Rhyne and Ho set their sights on learning the fundamentals of the fashion world. Both had personal experience when it came to making clothes but not with mass production.
Both gentlemen are still currently working. Ho is employed at Groupon.com as Senior Sales, and Rhyne is Vice President in Accounting Operations at Bank of America. With the start of Ole Mason Jar, Rhyne and Ho faced several challenges: manufacturing and financing. Not having a ton of experience in the industry creates confusion when trying to find the right contacts for getting things made. It takes a lot of time and is not as easy as doing a Google search. It often takes time knowing the right people to get the right information, says Ho. Because Ole Mason Jar is self-funded, putting the necessary funds together was both challenging and scary. When it is your own hard-earned equity on the line, you want to make sure your priorities are right, says Rhyne. The Ole Mason Jar was founded on three basic principles: giving back, promoting the gentlemans lifestyle, and crafting high quality, great fitting clothes.
Giving back is a foundational priority for the business. We believe everyday should be viewed as another chance to make a positive impact on the world; [thats why] 10% of everything we sell goes back to local/international organizations dedicated to providing relief and helping those that are underprivileged. The organization Ole Mason Jar works with is Project 61whose primary purpose is to provide care for communities and their residents, such as orphan care and health issues, feeding programs, and child sponsorships. Currently, Project 61 is centered on the children of Korah, Ethiopia, a community located next to the citys trash dump where many families search for items and food to sustain them. So important was this foundational priority that, giving back was a driving force from the beginning, explains Rhyne and Ho.
Promoting the gentlemans lifestyle and crafting high-quality, great-fitting clothes are the other two principles Ole Mason Jar is based upon. Clean, sleek, and modern but also traditional is how Ho and Rhyne classify their clothing design aesthetics. T-shirts are made entirely in North Carolina from cotton grown in the state. The button downs are constructed in the U.S.A., as well as the leather accessories which come from Asheville, North Carolina. We are looking to more broadly expand our clothing line as well as kick start a campaign to raise funds for our new product line.
Ole Mason Jar carries a wide range of solids, plaids, and ginghams depending on the season. As long as the quality of the fabric fits their brand, Rhyne and Ho will give it a chance. The staple of their store is the button down shirts. Each shirt is a collaborative effort; we are constantly looking at past, present, and future trends, says Rhyne and Ho. The first thing we do is focus on quality of the fabrics, and the next thing we do is pick out different but complimentary patterns and color schemes that tie it all together. Lastly, we name the shirt, typically giving it a Southern inspired name since Ole Mason Jar represents our southern heritage and the mason jar itself plays a significant role here in the South.
The mason jar is an iconic item in North Carolina. It brings back great memories of a time that once was. In fact, to this day our grandparents still preserve their own garden-grown vegetables in mason jars. The mason jar is simplistic yet symbolic; loved by many and recognizable by all. The mason jar transcends trends, is never overstated, and perfectly represents our vision: Preserving Southern Sophistication, says Rhyne and Ho.
One of the most important aspects of Old Mason Jar shirts is the great fit. The collection of button downs is a trimmer fit, but Rhyne and Ho explain they are in the process of creating additional fits that can maintain a slimmer fit across all body types. It doesnt matter how great a shirts quality is or how great the color and patterns are; if it doesnt fit well, then it will never look good.
Rhyne and Ho find a similarity between their brand and a nice small batch of whiskey. Old Mason Jar focuses on quality not quantity, sacrificing volume for smaller quantities of items with more focus on craftsmanship. They aspire to be the modern gentleman–from someone embarking on their collegiate journey to the gentleman looking for the perfect shirt for his retirement party. The Old Mason Jar brand helps promote what it means to live the lifestyle, a simple yet commanding presence. Just think Bradley Cooper and Jon Hamm.
For more information about Ole Mason Jar visit www.olemasonjar.com or phone 704-616-7151; for Project 61 go to www.p61.org.
