Two Apple geeks were dating during Christmas 2007 when the young man of this story, Roberto Hoyos, made his girlfriend hand-sewn pillows that looked like Mac desktop icons.
A picture of the finished pillows went viral and orders began to flood Hoyos’ inbox. To meet the sudden demand, he started the company, Throwboy. To celebrate the company’s 10th anniversary, Hoyos has issued a second collection of icon pillows.
Throwboy: Not the story he imagined
The relationship eventually fizzled but Throwboy sizzled, growing into a global company that now produces emoji throw pillows and some apparel that celebrates self-expression in the digital life.
The emoji pillows became so popular, Throwboy scaled back on Mac icons. But Hoyos has decided to not only produce more plush icons, he is hand-sewing them himself.
“I’ve decided to roll up my sleeves, quite literally, and make some pillows just like the good ‘ol days,” Hoyos wrote on the company blog. “The icons celebrate our nerdy roots but bring an updated twist with designs by the technology we all use today.”
Hoyos operates Throwboy in Seattle not far from the house of his grandma, who taught him how to sew. Throwboy has also produced t-shirts and hats that Hoyos hopes stir conversation about Apple’s delay in upgrading Mac computers for creatives. He also created a plush Steve Jobs doll that quickly sold out.
Photo: Throwboy
Collect all seven
Throwboy’s Icon Pillow Collection 2, which will feature softer fabric with brighter colors, is available as a seven-pillow set for $249 for a limited time. Individual pillows are available for $39.
The first set of Mac icons in 2008 included iTunes, iMovie, Widgets, Photo Booth and the smiling Finder (the only one still available for sale).
This second collection will feature a mix of Mac and iOS apps: Mail, Safari, Health, Weather, Photos, Phone, and Messages.
