Founding story
I started Todd Shelton because brands kept changing the products I liked. Every time I shopped, it felt like starting over. I wanted to buy the same thing twice.
In 2000, I moved from Tennessee to New York City after college. I worked for a fashion brand during the day. I went to design school at night.
After three years, I released my first product: a long-sleeve t-shirt. I made it in standard and in-between sizes. I was in-between sizes.
I wanted to sell directly to people, so I set up at street markets in Soho on weekends. We still have customers from those days. In 2005, we built a website.
By 2009, I had enough online sales to leave my day job. Sales were growing, but problems with manufacturers were growing too.
An order with a pant factory in Brooklyn was six weeks past due. I called every week. Finally, the owner, Mr. Hertling, told me: "We'll get to your order when we get to it. If that's not good enough, you need to make a decision."
I decided to start a factory. I mentioned it to a vendor from my day job days. He said, "Come talk to me and my business partner in East Rutherford." They offered me space in their building. That's how we landed in New Jersey.
That was early 2012. I moved into a back corner of their building, bought my first machines, hired a full-time seamstress, and posted an ad on Craigslist for a jean maker.
Gabriel replied. He had just arrived from the Dominican Republic, where he worked in a GAP jean factory. He taught us how to make jeans.
We found Mr. Chin on Craigslist too. A former shirt factory owner from India who spent three months with us.
I didn't need variety. I needed consistency.
I cared about fit more than most. I knew what I needed to see in the mirror. When the fit was right, I moved on with my day. When the fit was off, it was a distraction that lasted all morning.
When customers had the same problem, I understood. If a customer needed an adjustment, we made it. If enough customers needed the same adjustment, we created a new fit option. We could fit anyone, but the process became too complex.
In late 2023, we simplified our fit options. In early 2025, we discontinued everything except cotton jeans, solid colored button-ups, and crewneck t-shirts.
I wanted a better fit than what stores offered. Once I found it, I wanted to buy the exact same thing years later. I wanted to figure it out once, and be done.
