Casper man stitches together new business

CASPER — Some people have a man cave in their basement. Charles Mataker has two sewing machines.

Mataker, who lives in Casper, started his own business in 2020 called Savage Thread Works. He designs and sews his own outdoor gear, including muzzle covers, duffel bags and T-shirts.

He makes everything in his basement: a room with a "Savage Thread Works" poster on the door, shelves for supplies, a couple antlers hanging on the wall and, most importantly, his sewing machines, with which he creates everything by hand.

A background in graphic design allowed Mataker to lean into his artistic side, but he wanted to do more than just design two dimensionally.

He liked to snowboard, a passion that he embraced by drawing designs of snowboarding gear, but he also hunted, too. Stints in Utah and Jackson allowed him to pursue all of his outdoor interests — and understand the gear needed for them.

All of that led him to start his own business making outdoor gear.

It started with a backpack. He drew up his own design after not liking the style he was using.

"I went down the rabbit hole of getting it manufactured, but then I thought, ‘Maybe I should just make it myself," he said.

So he enrolled in a sewing class in 2020. From there, the business followed.

The design process, for him, is organic, flowing out of what he knows outdoors people need and what they tell him would be handy to have on adventures.

"I kind of just start with little doodles," he said. "I sketch as I go."

Mataker makes all his patterns, except for the child-sized ones (he has a 4-year-old son for whom he likes to make smaller versions of his designs).

But he said that it's all about knowing the sizing and seam allowance for most things. Once the pattern is determined, he goes to the sewing machines to put everything together.

Many of his products are in camouflage prints, but he also does some in neutral colors. And they’re all made out of stiffer, sturdier materials, except for wearable items, like shirts and hats.

After the products are done — he has several totes of product in his business room — he takes them to outdoor shows and fairs.

His next time selling will be at Alpine Mountain Days in Alpine. He’ll also sell at the Casper Gun Show.

Savage Thread Works is his full-time job. Though he will sell wholesale, he does so tentatively, because he prefers to sell direct-to-consumer.

Most of his customer base is located in Wyoming and Montana, but he is also trying to push to the Midwest and South through social media.

Mataker would like to grow and expand, but for right now, he’ll continue to spend "an unhealthy amount" of time working in his basement sewing room, coming up with new products and designs and making things for his son.

Check out Mataker's products online at savagethreadworks.com.