While still never ordered anything off the site, Threadless has been a company I have a great deal of admiration.  Their core values are innovative as they are simplistic.  It’s a formula that works and one I believe we’ll be seeing a lot more in niche industries.  The upcoming issue of Inc Magazine has a fantastic and insightful feature on founders, investors and philosophies that make up Threadless.  Here’s a preview:

“Its success demonstrates what happens when you allow your company to become what your customers want it to be, when you make something as basic and quaint as “trust” a core competency. Threadless succeeds by asking more than any modern retail company has ever asked of its customers — to design the products, to serve as the sales force, to become the employees. Nickell has pioneered a new kind of innovation. It doesn’t require huge research budgets or creative brilliance — just a willingness to keep looking outward.”   Read more.