Handmade in Chicago by a half-century old, family-run factory, Stalward Ltd. produces neckties that are a bit beyond the realm of the stuff you might find at typical retail shops. Made of unique fabrics (none of which are silk) that are either short run, rare, or dead stock, these neckties each have an entirely new take on what can often be a drab, every day accessory: they’re different–and cool–enough to make you more carefully consider every other aspect of your outfit while walking around feeling just a little more put together.

Take the light blue striped tie, pictured above, for instance: originally made as shirting fabric in Japan, Stalward creatively repurposed the lightweight, 100% cotton to make their Summer Blue Striped necktie. To finish off the singular qualities of these ties, Stalward’s designers used surplus army gas lamp wicks as tie loops.

At $65 per tie, you wouldn’t be breaking the bank, either, which makes these accessories so much more of a collectible: while their boldly masculine plaids–both blue and orange–are sold out at the moment, other standouts, such as the subtly tongue-in-cheek Summer Poke-A-Dot and the office-or-hot-date friendly Blue Dobby Chambray are worth a look (the abovementioned Summer Blue Striped has just been sold out…of course).

Made in limited numbers (there are only so many rolls of funky or rare fabric, after all), these ties are worth grabbing right away. Yours can be purchased online easily enough: visit www.stalward-ltd.com for a piece of the action.