LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — There's the saying that clothes make the man. People tend to notice when a person wears nice threads. In this week's Nevada Built, we introduce you to a company that has Threads of eNVy.
RECOGNIZABLE
"It's so recognizable. You're right. It's branding the State of Nevada," said 13 Action News Anchor Todd Quinones.
You may have seen their unique Nevada logo on hats across the valley.
"You've got a lowercase type N. Your V. But it also creates that big N for the State of Nevada," says Mitch Klein, the co-owner of Threads of eNVy.
WEARING PRIDE
It's hard not to root for Mitch.
This Nevada-born 33-year-old served in Iraq as a Military Police officer. During the six years he spent in the Army, he met all kinds of people.
"I got to travel a lot of places in different states and countries," he said.
"They always had something on that represented where they're from. They had that sense of pride wearing it," said Klein. "So I always thought to myself, why doesn't Vegas have this?"
THREADS OF ENVY
That was the beginning of the company Threads of eNVy. The play on words representing Nevada Built pride.
"You know, half the time people think we live in casinos," Klein said.
"It's my city. I grew up here. This is my town. I wanted to be able to represent this town that I love."
FUNDRAISING
When Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Officer Shay Mikalonis made his first public appearance last week after being shot last summer, it was Klein who made the shirts for the Play for Shay charity hockey game.
Fundraising is a big part of what they do.
"Right now we're doing another fundraiser for Officer King [Sgt. Douglas King], who just recently passed from COVID. We're going to be donating those funds back to the family to help with some of those costs," said Klein.
CREATIVITY
At the heart of his shirts, a driving sense of creativity.
"These are all your designs stored in here?" asked Todd.
"Yep, there are over 134 designs in this," said Klein.
One of the most recent, a shirt thanking former Golden Knight Ryan Reaves who was recently traded to the New York Rangers.
"How appropriate is it? The thank-you shirt to Ryan Reaves is the picture of him fighting," said Todd.
"Yeah, right? There's no other way to represent him, I think," said Klein.
After the shirts are printed he then cures the ink into the garment.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
"Baking the cake," said Todd.
"Baking the cake. So, once this comes through, it's ready," said Klein.
Threads of Envy came from humble beginnings in 2017.
"Built this thing up, printing out of the garage," Klein said.
SPECIAL TOUCH
Since then, he's learned a lot.
"Every shirt's got a special touch to it. We're not mass-producing and throwing them in boxes... There's a little bit of local love into all of it," he said.
HOCKEY & TACOS
But he still hasn't mastered the art of knowing which design will be a big hit.
Take the Hockey and Tacos idea that an employee came up with. An idea that Klein didn't love.
"I get it. Hockey is awesome and tacos are great. But I don't know if we combine the two. Sure enough, it's been quite frankly one of our best sellers," he said.
Threads of eNVy now has four employees and it's growing. They just signed a deal with Terrible Herbst, that will carry their line at its Primm location.
You can also buy their hats at any Lids store in the valley.
To learn more about the company or place an order online visit threadsofenvy.com
