👕$5M From Old T-Shirts

Today’s business was built by two entrepreneurs who saw potential in something most people overlook—old t-shirts.

I love this business because it shows how you can create value by simply repurposing something most people see as useless.

Nathan Rothstein and Ross Lohr did just that… with a simple idea:

Turning old, unused t-shirts into cherished quilts.

Instead of letting shirts gather dust, they created Project Repat, a service that transforms customers' favorite old tees into personalized quilts.

Here’s how they did it—and how you could replicate their success. ⬇️

👉 In this email, we’ll cover:

✅ How Project Repat discovered their profitable niche
✅ The exact steps they took to attract and retain customers
✅ How you can apply these strategies to your own business ideas

🧵 Step 1: Discover a Unique Problem

The idea began when Ross Lohr noticed piles of unused promotional t-shirts during a trip to Kenya. He realized Americans had a similar problem at home—old shirts filled with memories but no longer worn.

He asked:

📢 Step 2: Get Early Customers (Without Big Budgets)

Initially, Project Repat had no large budget or huge online following. They got creative:

• Social Media: They shared emotional stories and images of their quilts, quickly gaining exposure.

• Referrals & Reviews: Encouraged happy customers to spread the word, turning satisfied buyers into brand ambassadors.

Their grassroots approach brought them their first loyal customers.

📈 Step 3: Strategic Marketing to Scale

To grow quickly, they focused on:

• Content Marketing: Sharing powerful customer stories, highlighting the sentimental value of each quilt.

• Email Marketing: Regular updates and offers to stay connected with customers.

• Influencer Collaborations: Leveraging partnerships to reach new audiences.

These strategies helped them scale rapidly, driving millions in sales.

🎯 How You Could Do Something Similar:

1. Spot a relatable, overlooked problem.

2. Solve it creatively and practically.

3. Use short form social channels to demonstrate your product in action (free marketing).

4. Scale through strategic influencer partnerships and meaningful branding.

💡 Key Takeaways:

✅ Creative solutions to relatable problems can be highly profitable.
✅ Customer stories and short form social media channels are powerful marketing tools.
✅ Sustainability and community engagement boost brand value.

Project Repat proves that businesses don’t have to be complicated to be successful. Turning a simple idea into millions in revenue is achievable by anyone willing to spot an unique opportunity and act on it.

Have a great weekend!

— Tim

📖 Sources & Further Reading:

• Project Repat Website

• How Project Repat Started

• Scaling with Customer Referrals