USA Made Throws: How Our Artist-Designed Blankets Are Made

We started Tuxberry & Whit as a way to stay connected while living oceans apart - literally, oceans. What began as a greeting card company helped us develop a style and really create what Tuxberry & Whit looks like aesthetically. Those cards were our design playground, where we figured out our visual language, our color palettes, the way we wanted to translate our art into everyday objects.

But now we are so thrilled to be leaning into the side of the design world we really love: interiors and home spaces. Because here's the thing - we've always been obsessed with how spaces feel, how objects sit in a room, how color and texture and pattern come together to make a place feel like yours. Making throws was the natural evolution of everything we'd been building toward. Today, we're proud to create USA made throws that bridge the gap between fine art and functional design.

One of our favorite (yes, sarcasm) questions is if we knit the throws ourselves. Our immediate thought is twofold: 

1. You don't want it if we made it - it will fall apart

2. It would be like $10k, so NO we did not

Look, we're artists. We can draw, we can design, we can create a composition that makes you feel something. But hand-knitting? That's a whole different skill set and frankly, not one we want to pretend we have. These throws are bespoke machine knitted just for us with a knitting manufacturer located in Queens, NY.

You may ask why NYC? That's not super local to the mountain west, but for USA made throws, we wanted the quality control that comes with domestic manufacturing. And there's actually a really good reason for that choice beyond just "Made in USA" sounding nice on a label.

When we started producing these throws and all our products, it was prior to the tariff conversation and more about the proximity of supplies and control and partnership when it comes to the making of it. 

Each small brand has to do what they feel called to do, and for us we wanted to know where and how the products were being made even if it means our margins are not what they could be. We could have gone overseas. We could have probably tripled our profit margins. But that's not why we're doing this.

Working with a manufacturer in Queens means we can:- Visit and see the production process (something we're planning to do soon!)- Develop a real relationship with the people making our designs- Have control over materials and quality standards- Make adjustments and improvements based on real collaboration- Know exactly where our materials are sourced

It's not just about the "Made in USA" label or buying local (though we're not mad about supporting the NYC textile industry). It's about being able to stand behind every single throw we sell because we know how it was made and who made it.

So let's talk about what goes into making these things, because it's actually pretty cool.

These throws are made in small batches in NYC exclusively for us. We're not cranking out thousands at a time and warehousing them. Each production run is carefully planned based on our designs, our color specifications, and what we need. This isn't mass production - it's small-scale manufacturing with the precision of machine work.

We offer our throws in two material options, and both are pretty great for different reasons:

Combed Cotton: This is your classic, high-quality cotton. It's been combed (literally) to remove short fibers and impurities, leaving only the longest, strongest fibers. The result? Incredibly soft, durable, and that perfect cotton feel you want in something you're going to curl up with on the couch.

Recycled Cotton: This one's eco-friendly with a combo of cotton and poly spun together to give old fabric a second life. Instead of new cotton being grown and processed, we're using what already exists and turning it into something beautiful and functional. The cotton-poly blend also means it's incredibly durable and resists pilling.

Both options use high-quality thread that wears well but is also soft to the touch. We've done enough markets to say people are always pleasantly surprised when they touch the throws. There's this moment of "oh wow, this is actually really soft" that happens every single time.

The nature of the knitting makes these throws lay more like a weighted blanket. It's not heavy in an overwhelming way, but there's substance to them. They have heft. They feel substantial when you pull them around your shoulders or spread them across your lap.

This isn't an accident - it's how they're designed. The machine knitting technique creates a tighter, denser weave than you'd get with a lot of mass-produced throws, and that density is what gives them that cozy, weighted feel. It's what makes them the perfect thing to cozy up with on a cold morning or a rainy afternoon.

Here's where we get real: these throws are robust and survive kids and dogs. (Gentle cats too, but would any fabric survive a kneading cat? We're not miracle workers.)

Our throws are carefully made and are more like editions of works of art that you are meant to use as a utilitarian object. Read that again: meant to use.

We didn't create beautiful textiles so you could fold them perfectly on the back of a pristine white sofa and never touch them. We created them so you could:- Wrap up in them while working from home- Let your kids build blanket forts with them- Take them to outdoor concerts- Throw them in the wash when the dog decides to nap on them- Spill coffee on them (and then wash them - more on that in our care guide)- Actually live with them

The fact that they're artist-designed and carefully made doesn't mean they're fragile. It means we thought about every detail - including making sure they can handle whatever your life throws at them (pun intended).

When we talk about these as "functional art," we mean it literally. We approach each design the way we'd approach creating a piece for a gallery - thinking about composition, color theory, visual rhythm, cultural references. But instead of putting it in a frame on the wall, we're putting it on your couch, your bed, your favorite reading chair.

That's the sweet spot we've been chasing: things that are beautiful enough to elevate your space but practical enough to use every single day. Interior design pieces that don't require you to change how you live.

Our Southwest Collection throws pull from the landscape and culture of the region we love, translated through our design sensibility. Think: not literal cactus prints, but the colors of sunset over the Sandia Mountains, the geometric patterns that echo both mid-century modern design and traditional weaving, the earthy tones that make a space feel grounded and warm.

Each throw design goes through countless iterations. We're tweaking colors, adjusting scale, rethinking proportions until it feels right. Then our manufacturing partner in Queens translates our digital designs into the machine knitting specifications that bring them to life.

When you buy one of our throws, you're getting:

- A design by actual artists with years of training in color, composition, and visual communication

- USA manufacturing with transparent supply chains and fair labor practices 

- Sustainable materials that are either cotton or giving old textiles new life

- Small batch production that ensures quality control

- Something built to last that you can actually use and wash

- A piece that bridges the gap between art and everyday life

You're not buying fast fashion for your home. You're buying something that took thought, care, and real expertise to create.

Ready to add artist-designed functional art to your home? Shop the throw collection or follow us on Instagram @tuxberryandwhit to see behind-the-scenes of our design process.