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Two Boise entrepreneurs have raised more than $15,000 online for their men's blue jeans company.
Drift Republic, a company started by Gabe Wallace and William Holes, surpassed its $15,000 on Kickstarter May 12. That money will buy machines to make the jeans and put the finishing touches on patterns.
Drift Republic jeans, which use denim and thread from North Carolina and buttons from Kentucky, go for $125 and $150 for early adopters, though the Kickstarter page says they'll retail for $200 if they end up in stores. The company says its materials, fit and Idaho origins are unique.
Wallace said he started the company because he wanted to open a menswear store. The jeans are a first step.
"I hate shopping. You go to the store for clothes that don't fit all that well. You pay more than you think you should, given how much goes to empty overhead," he said.
He said jeans are the starting point because they can be a wardrobe staple, and they can be more cost-effective to make than some other items.
"Jeans are my go-to item," he said. "We wanted to create those clothing items you pull out of the closet nine times out of 10."
Kickstarter, a website where people can fund new products or products, gives donors rewards, like a pair of Drift Republic's jeans. It also...