About

30 Years Inside the Machine

This year marks 30 years in the fashion industry.

For most of my career, I worked in fast fashion - manufacturing clothing for the brands you see in malls, outlets, and department stores. We made millions of garments every month.

The system worked.

Lower labor costs overseas.
Faster production.
Cheaper materials.
Higher margins.

Quality gradually became secondary.
Environmental impact rarely made the top of the list.

To stay competitive, production moved where labor was cheapest.

Experience decreased.
Craftsmanship declined.

Then materials changed.

Polyester blends became the norm.
Plastic-based fibers became easier, cheaper, and more profitable.
And consumers accepted it.

The Moment That Changed Everything

While producing millions of cotton/poly blend tees each month, I read a report:
The average American consumes microplastics each year equivalent to the weight of a credit card.

That stopped me.

Because I knew exactly where some of those microplastics were coming from.

Garments like the ones I was manufacturing - shedding plastic fibers every wash.

My business was thriving.

But I realized I was helping produce millions of microplastic generators.
Those particles don’t disappear.

They enter our water.
Our food.
Our bodies.
Including mine.
Including my family’s.
That was the turning point.

Why Maktee Exists

Maktee was born from a simple question:

Can we build clothing the right way - without sacrificing quality or the planet?

I believe we can.

• 100% U.S.-grown cotton
• No polyester, nylon, acrylic, or spandex
• No plastic-based fibers
• Plastic-free packaging
• Heavier-weight, premium construction
• Built to last

For decades, I watched brands reduce fabric weight, cut craftsmanship, and substitute materials — all to protect advertising budgets and margins.

Maktee does the opposite.

We reduce marketing.
We invest in materials.
We build properly.

Not everyone will agree with this approach.

But I know there are people who care about what touches their skin.

Who value durability.
Who want transparency.
Who believe better construction can coexist with better environmental responsibility.

If that sounds like you, welcome.

If enough of us choose differently, we won’t just make better clothing.
We’ll reduce microplastics — one garment at a time.