We had the good fortune of connecting with Tyler Freeman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tyler, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When I was in high school, I saw this really dope “Needles” flannel and I really wanted to get it. When I went to check the price, it was over $300. That day, I knew I wanted to make my own clothes. I continued to play sports through high school and college so I didn’t have time to fully pursue clothing. In 2020, sports were stripped away from me. Covid made really go all in and start pursuing my brand. I didn’t know much about building a clothing brand so I decided to do my research. The name of the brand was originally “t free customs” (tfc) but then a friend of mine called it “tfreeclothing” and it just stuck. I knew I wanted to be unique with it so I decided to fully learn how to sew and produce my own pieces without a manufacturer. I bought a vinyl cutter and heat press and started making clothes in my dorm room. And the rest is history

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am so proud of how much growth I’ve seen in my personal and professional life. I feel like many people don’t tell you how challenging it is to run a clothing brand. It’s not just about making the products; it’s also about marketing and figuring out ways to be innovative in such an oversaturated field. Making clothes has always been easier for me but marketing has not really been my strongest point. However, I’m learning consistently so I know it’ll just click for me soon. Another challenge I’ve faced was living in Nebraska for the past two years because of school. I learned that the location of your physical business is so important. I owned my own physical store in Nebraska and it didn’t do very well because people just weren’t interested in what I was bringing to the table. That’s when I knew it was time to go somewhere that would appreciate my art. That’s what brought me to Arizona. The main thing I want people to take away from my story is never give up. I have gone through the highs and lows with my brand and I wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world. There are so many people that will doubt your big ideas and dreams because they don’t have the vision that you have. They mentally can’t fathom big dreams and “crazy” ideas. Let them doubt and just focus on your vision. It’ll all come together when it needs to. Lastly, always radiate positive vibes and be grateful for all you have. Those good vibes will radiate back onto you and they’ll cover your life with blessings and abundance.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well I’m still fairly new to Arizona so I would probably take them to the coolest places I’ve heard of so far. I would definitely take them to Taco Chelo in Phoenix because their vegetable tacos are BOMB. Also, I’d probably want to take a trip to Sedona because everyone I know has been recommending it. Also, I’d probably hit Pemberton or First Friday with them if they were in town for that. Other than that, we’d probably just be trying out new places to eat all week

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Well, first of all, I wouldn’t be here without the help of God, family, and friends. So they’ll always get a shout out for the contributions they’ve made. But I want to highlight four people that acted as my mentors. Those individuals are Virgil Abloh, Nipsey Hussle, and the guys at WRLD Invsn. I’ve gained so much knowledge from these 4 individuals. Nick and Marlon of WRLDINVSN posted many YouTube videos and I was able to learn the ins and outs of running a clothing brand and keeping it going. Virgil taught me how to evolve my design style into a style that is familiar feeling but incredibly unique. Nipsey Hussle taught me how to upgrade my mindset in order to make it to the next level in my life. While I have never formally met any of these individuals, they’ve played a huge role in the success that I’ve achieved thus far.

x

Instagram: @tfreeclothing

Twitter: @tfreeman2128

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCqQkBH8Lg84cybC3tjx9z8Q

Image Credits
Ellie Carty

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