Buttercloth

How it started

Born in Vietnam, Danh Tran grew up working in his family’s small tailor shop. By the age of ten, he was designing and sewing his own clothes - and dreaming of coming to America to become a fashion designer. Danh first landed a job at Mattel designing clothes for Barbie and later enrolled in his dream school, Otis College of Art and Design. After graduating he was recruited by 7 for All Mankind, then House of Howe (Union Bay), and later Affliction Clothing, where he was Head Designer for 10 years.

Danh always hated wearing dress shirts, so he set out to make a dress shirt that felt like his favorite t-shirt. Using a special blend of 100% long fiber cotton and a unique manufacturing process, he developed a profoundly soft fabric he named “Buttercloth.” It has incredible breathability, 6-way stretch and an exclusive double finished construction that Danh says, “makes you look like a Friday night, but feel like a Sunday morning.”

 Danh quit his job, sold his house, and cashed in his 401K to start the company. He was “all in.” One of his first customers was former Los Angeles Lakers star, Metta World Peace, who was so impressed that he invested in the company and serves as the brand’s ambassador to the sports and celebrity world.

How it's going

Buttercloth’s explosive growth online also caught the attention of ABC’s Shark Tank, and Danh was invited to the show. In October 2018, viewers watched Danh make a $250,000 deal with investor Robert Herjavec who is helping to grow the Buttercloth™ brand worldwide.

The Buttercloth story doesn’t end with comfort. Customers love the fit, and appreciate the signature details found in every Buttercloth™ garment - often prompting the question, “Where did you get that shirt?” You could say, “it’s a boy’s dream come true.”