Steven Mazur isn't a tall man. At 5 feet 6 inches, he’s not exactly
Peter Dinklage-size, but he is familiar with the challenges people of shorter stature face. It served as the inspiration for,
Ash & Anvil, the men's clothing company he co-founded with Eric Huang.
"We were thinking about the challenges we face," Mazur says. "Finding clothes has not been easy."
Ash & Anvil specializes in making clothes for men 5 feet 8 inches and under, addressing many of the challenges shorter people face when buying clothes. For instance, when Mazur buys pants he knows the average inseam is 30 inches, but his measures 28 inches. Ash & Anvil's first line of clothing will launch with a line of casual, button-down shirts. It hopes to expand into jeans, dress pants/shirts, and athletic apparel later this year,
Mazur and Huang are
Venture For America fellows who came to Detroit in 2013 as part of the second class of aspiring entrepreneurs in the Motor City. Venture For America pairs recent college grads with startups in economically challenged cities. Detroit was one of the programs first participating cities.
Ash & Anvil are currently working on a
crowdfunding campaign to fund its first run of clothes, which will be made in Detroit. The campaign as a goal of raising $10,000 and has already raised more than $9,000.
Source: Stevem Mazur and Eric Huang, co-founder of Ash & Anvil
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.