Its been a long wait. Keep an eye out on our socials. Last ever order of Tied to Culture ties will occur over the next few months. (July 2024)
About us
Tied to Culture is a newly established Perth, Western Australian tie design company run by Indigenous boys Isaiah, Liam and Dontay with help from c0-founder Michael. Indigenous inspired designs are used to create dardy, deadly and eye catching ties that stand out amongst the crowd. The ties are perfect for formal occasions, semi-formal or smart casual while embracing Indigenous culture with a point of difference.
The boys value a bit of class so worked together to design a series of professional, stylish ties perfect for dressing up or down. The goal: to create an Indigenous inspired tie that makes a statement, is colourful and stands out from the crowd. Goal achieved.
The Team
Indigenous inspired ties designed by three Indigenous mates from Halls Creek, Tammin and Katanning boarding at school in Perth. The idea came from the boys wanting a decent tie to wear to a dinner dance, something unique. The rest is history. Inspiration for the designs come from the places, colours and stories passed down that are special to them.
Dontay Bolton
I'm Nyoongar and Yamatji from the Great Southern. I grew up in Katanning, then moved to boarding when I was in year 9, I have been in boarding for 3 years. I have a passion for music and footy, especially as I grew up watching family play WAFL and AFL. My aim is to make a name for my family whether that is playing footy, going to uni or being successful in business. We are very proud of the work we have put in and what we have created.
$1 from every purchase of the Blue Tie goes towards Beyond Blue which raises awareness and provides support to all Australians regarding mental health.
Liam Henry
I belong to the Walmatjarri and Wajuk tribe. I grew up in Tammin, then made a big move to boarding school in year 7, I have been boarding for 5 years. I have passion for footy and it is a dream to make it into AFL. I live north of Perth in Derby which is in the Kimberley. Living away from family and home is a constant battle, but with my mates close by it's not so bad. We are really proud of our ties. We set it up from scratch with an aim of creating a simple way to celebrate and embrace indigenous art and culture.
$1 from every purchase of the Pink Tie goes towards Cancer Council’s Pink Ribbon supporting women with cancer.
Isaiah Butters
I’m a Kija Jaru man from Halls Creek, a small town in the East Kimberley region. I have been away from my family since year 8. I moved down to live with my uncle in Perth and then started attending boarding school. I have a very strong passion for sport but mostly AFL and basketball. I really enjoy creating art, especially when it’s something that I can wear. Im really proud that we can showcase our artwork to everyone in Australia and create a way for all Australians to celebrate Indigenous culture.
Michael Ralph
Mentor to the boys and co-founder, I try to make sure they don’t get upto too much mischief. I grew up in Waroona, and went to school in Pinjarra. I’m a big supporter of the boys and I love a bit of footy. Through my various roles I have had the opportunity to work closely with Indigenous youth and communities which I have found to be incredibly rewarding and life changing. I’m a proud dad of two and supported by a beautiful wife. My aim is to push the boys to be the best they can be.
The Purple Tie
The purple tie was created based on Issy's love and passion for the Fremantle Football Club. On top of this both Liam and Issy are fortunate to be part of the Fremantle Next Generation Academy, which identifies and develops young Indigenous talent to hopefully take the next big step into the AFL. We were lucky enough to have Brad Hill give up his Sunday to help model the tie and support Tied to Culture.
Our Story
Ralphy was talking to us about post school options including tafe, uni and apprenticeships. He then mentioned about Indigenous businesses and that many people have been successful setting up online shops selling various things. We all then asked why couldn’t we set up a business selling the ties we designed. After a couple hours sitting down and talking about how it could work and looking at other Instagram pages we decided that there was a gap for indigenous artwork and clothing especially good looking ties. We thought our ties were different and stylish and were an easy way to celebrate Indigenous culture. Ralphy then showed us how to get an ABN number and asked what we wanted as a business name. Issy’s idea was the best “Tied to Culture”, we loved it. From here we decided on the best looking ties, did some modelling, took some photos, made an order and set up a website/store with the help of Felix. It has been a good learning experience for us setting it up from scratch and being involved in all the decision making. We are proud of what we have created and to be business owners.