About Us

Hi, I'm Patrick and I'm the founder of Reef Knots. It's a company built around some pretty simple principles. We try to make clothes of the highest quality, with great details, that leave a small footprint on the planet and the ocean. And we try to have a bit of fun doing it. But to truly understand our business, we'll need to go back to where it all started and my very bad day.

 

In November 2012, I was made redundant from my corporate job of 13 years. It also happened to be two days before my wife gave birth. To twins. I found myself with a wife, three young children, a new mortgage and a bit of a problem.

The traditional solution to problems like this is to get another job. But, unfortunately, I had got it into my head that what people needed were more of the world's most unpopular clothing item. The tie. 

Needless to say, I didn’t receive a Husband of the Year mug in 2012. Instead, I was told I was crazy on a bi-hourly basis by almost everyone I met. But I refused to listen to the "nobody-wears-a-tie-anymore" brigade. I was a man on a mission: to take this neck-adorning symbol of office slavery and turn it into something people actually wanted to wear; something that would remind them of life far away from the corporate grind. The bonus was that I might escape it myself. 

We summed it up in a simple phrase: Summertime - all the time.

 

 Reef Knots started with ties but we soon became pretty good at other products too. We now sell a full range of menswear, all of them sharing the same aim: perfect staples with a Reef Knots twist. We are also trying to incorporate recycled plastics, organic cottons and other materials into our products to make sure they leave as small a mark on the planet as possible. This is hardwired into the business DNA. I started our partnership with the Blue Marine Foundation charity when I was still operating out of my spare room and we continue to support their work to this day. We also support other organisations like the National Lobster Sanctuary in Padstow. 

I never thought this journey would be a huge success, but we've grown by the incredible support of our customers, and by doing things the right way. 

The Reef Knots way. 

In 2020, we crowdfunded our first investment in the business, during a global pandemic, and our customers became my first co-owners. That's an endorsement that doesn't come lightly, but it's driven by the commitment to never compromise on quality and to care about our customers and our planet. 

And with all that said and done, I would love nothing more than for you to clamber aboard and join us on our sun-soaked adventure.