Neckties Tie Up Thrifty Profits
A sleeper micro-category hiding in plain sight
Neckties are a micro-category almost no one pays attention to. Most are too wide, too narrow, stained, outdated boring, or even garish for a second look. The problem is most don’t get a first look.
A single necktie recently sold on eBay for $990.00. If I had seen I might have thought it a curiosity but maybe not that valuable. A dozen more ties recently sold for $400 or more each. There were more than I could count that were in the $100 range. For a tie!
Who even wears ties these days? Apparently someone.
This seems like an outlier, but it’s a good example of brand value that is easy to miss.
eBay had plenty of ties that sold for good money. Interestingly, as of this writing, shopgoodwill.com only had 14 entries for ties, and none were particularly inspiring. That’s a clue that thrift stores haven’t really caught on to this micro-category yet.
Some textile producers are good at finding high-end brand names in general clothing, but not so much with ties. Turns out the rules of thumb are about the same for ties as for Men’s and Women’s designer clothing.
The single most important thing to look at is the label on the back.
Here are some designer brands that make neckties along with their general price ranges new:
Ralph Lauren: $70-$200
Giorgio Armani: $150-$400
Hermes: $200-$500
Gucci: $200-$500
Versace: $150-$400
Burberry: $150-$400
Salvatore Ferragamo: $150-$400
Tom Ford: $200-$500
Ermenegildo Zegna: $150-$500
Prada: $150-$400
These are general price ranges and the actual cost of a tie may vary depending on the specific design and material used.
Others to watch for: Canali, Paul Stuart, Zegna, Quindeci, Polo, Ralph Loren, Kiton, Ike Behar, Brooks Brothers, Zegna. Popularity changes all the time.
Real high-end ties are made entirely by hand, with each stitch carefully sewn by a skilled craftsman. Almost always high-quality silk. These ties can take several hours to make and are more expensive than machine-made ties. Much like high-end purses, precise stitching, and folding are signs.
Fun Fact:
Muga silk is one of the most expensive types of silk. Muga silk is produced only in Assam, India, and is derived from a particular species of silkworm that feeds only on two types of leaves found in that region. The silk produced by these silkworms has a natural golden color and a unique sheen. The production process of Muga silk involves several steps, including the careful extraction of the silk threads and the use of traditional techniques like hand spinning and hand weaving to create the final product. All of these factors contribute to the high cost of Muga silk.
Neckties worth in the $20 range are easy to find and priced for a buck or two in many thrift stores. If you are a reseller 10Xing your money is easy with neckties.
What to look for:
The label, no matter the type, is still attached. It’s also a functional component of most ties.
Brand names, seasonal, sports, University, fictional, and real characters.
Fabric, almost always silk. Generally don’t bother with Polyester.
The colors that pop, are clean and crisp.
Stitching even with no fraying.
Length, longer is better.
No stains, wrinkles tears, thread pulls, or wear issues. Many clothing items will sell with limited wear, Ties are not one of these. Like new is the standard here.
Just looks nice and current. Traditional patterns and colors.
Tie width changes in popularity all the time. As of this writing the range of 3 to 4 inches is the sweet spot. Super narrow can also work.
Solids are the safest bets they are easiest to coordinate. Beyond every day, red Christmas, green Saint Patric's Day, black Halloween.
Avoid, discount store brands. Put a high-end tie next to a big box tie and you will understand.
There is also money in seasonal ties
Halloween - As this season becomes more and more an adult “holiday” these neckties will continue to grow in popularity. It’s an easy way for someone to add an accent at work, or at a party without going all in on a costume.
Even designers are getting into this.
Besides designer ties, in October the more garish, ugly, or outdated the tie the better. They aren’t worth a lot more than the regular tie price, but they do sell for Halloween.
Now that Christmas Parties are making a comeback, men like to have an accent tie around the season. A designer's name and or character can add value.
So check out that tie rack, you might just find some value that others missed.
Thanks for reading!
Thrift Retailer - Dedicated to the business of thrift.
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