Information Site
Daniel Kasidi
Rastaclat Founder
The Story
The story is that you started making bracelets for friends by weaving extra skate shoelaces together. How did you think of that and how did that lead to what you are doing today?
When I made my first bracelet on a sunny afternoon in my hometown of Placentia, CA, it was never a conscious decision that this would become a business. I made my first bracelet out of sheer idle time waiting for a ride from a friend to go skateboarding.
The first bracelet I constructed was off a pair of Mike Carroll Lakai shoes. I fused the ends untidily with a lighter and wore it to school the following day. To my surprise people noticed it and 10 schoolmates asked me for a bracelet on that first day. The following day 20 people, then 30, so on and so forth. That’s when I knew I had a great concept that could translate into a business with the right focus and placement.
I would spend my evenings and weekends making bracelets and selling them at my high school. The idea was widely popular within my hometown and was a great movement and accomplishment for me.
Take a look at Rastaclat’s recent designs, featuring Torey Pudwill and Chaz Ortiz signature bracelets.
“Our lion head logo with black & gold branding represents our DNA; a brand exuberating confidence, independence, leadership and the innate courage to conquer new planes of innovation.”
—Daniel Kasidi, Rastaclat Founder
Daniel Kasidi started Rastaclat before he ever had a brand name or a company vision. Throughout high school, Kasidi made bracelets from extra skate shoe laces that he fused together.
His passion was skateboarding, but his creative talent was emerging, and later led him from his job at a small town skate shop, to a skate shoe company sales rep, and then on to become a student at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. Upon graduating, Kasidi landed careers in his chosen field at the likes of Levi and Reebok. It wasn’t too long before he decided in October 2010 to turn his drive to create product into a reality, and founded Rastaclat.
“My main inspiration was to infuse something completely new into the industry,” explains Kasidi. “I wanted to be set apart by our philosophy, products, and overall brand image. On a more personal level, the main motor that kept me going is that I loved how our product and brand made people feel when they were noticed for wearing the bracelet or any other product we made. That split moment of confidence or joy of being recognized really fueled me to continue to make this product.”
The brand has grown its following over the first few years in the market, and is found in a range of skate retailers from Kasidi’s hometown skate shop Liberty Boardshop, to regional and national chains like Zumiez and Tilly’s, and a large international presence. We were lucky enough to get an hour of Kasidi’s time recently, while he was en route to Tokyo, to talk with him about the business’ growth, and plans to expand story-telling through product to drive inspiration at the business and consumer level.