Our Story
About
Denver, Colorado
Where the first pieces took shape.
Retex Studios started small: no catalog, no storefront, just an idea and a workspace in Denver.
The earliest pieces were made for people we knew — ashtrays, napkin holders, sculptural vases — each one a chance to test an idea in real material. That habit never left. Every piece we make now still starts the same way: as a test, for someone specific, before it becomes a product.
San Francisco, California
Bombarded by sameness.
The move to San Francisco came with a job in tech — and a strange kind of decor fatigue. The same handful of algorithm-picked pieces, sold under a dozen different names, on every marketplace. Nothing in it felt like it came from anywhere, or anyone.
Wanting a home that didn't look like everyone else's is what pushed everything that came next.
Retex Studios
A dream, made.
Architecture and design software started blending with the modeling work, and a product came out of it. Then a few compliments. Then gifts made for friends. Then a company. What began as napkin holders for neighbors in Denver became Retex Studios — a studio designing, making, and selling functional art out of San Francisco and Denver.
What We're Building Toward
Design, made with intention. Beautiful things should be within reach.
In The Community
Rooted in San Francisco and Denver.
We show up locally — tabling at markets and events across San Francisco and Denver. Follow along on Instagram or sign up below for updates on where we'll be next.
One Studio, A Few Different Crafts
Alongside our printers, we bring in unique sourced materials — blown and cast glass, hardwood offcuts, raw and recycled metal — and pair them with 3D printing, CNC, welding, and hand-finishing depending on what a piece needs. Most pieces pass through at least two or three of these steps before they're done.
Local Collaboration
Partnership with Maison Shelby Patisserie
We like working with local businesses on design and manufacturing — this month's feature is Maison Shelby Patisserie in Denver. What began as a pendant light installation grew into designing food molds for their own production. It's the kind of project we'd like to do more of. If you're interested in a partnership, get in touch.