The Heartfelt Flannel

The motorcycle shop was full of life, the kind of place that stimulated the senses and sharpened one’s focus. Like most shops, it echoed a low mechanical hum and smelled of new tires, gasoline, and WD-40.

Danny Dreyer spent his early 20s working here in Irvine, California, with his dad, designing the shop’s t-shirts and flannels. His focus on clothing wasn’t due to fashion or fitting in — neither of which he claimed to know much about — it was a way to feel relaxed in his own skin. Over time, his critical eye revealed a deeper truth: it was a way of understanding himself, and eventually, a reason to build something of his own.

Learning the Material

“We don’t sell shirts, we sell feelings,” said 41-year-old Dreyer, owner of Tempe, Arizona-based Dixxon Flannel Co. His apparel business, which opened in 2013, has been incredibly successful, achieving more than $100 million in annual revenue. The brand sells shirts, flannels, and accessories in limited, exclusive drops to bikers, skaters, tattoo artists, and free spirits. “We take our internal feelings — like our favorite memories, and all the things that make us, us — and share them with the world,” he said. “We’re creating a community; we’re creating a synergy.”

It was a sentiment that felt very “Sons of Anarchy,” illustrating the camaraderie and brotherhood that motorcyclists form on the road, yet revealing Dreyer’s tender side as he reminisced about Dixxon’s Sea Glass Flannel. The shirt got its name from a family trip he took several years ago, where he fondly recalls skipping rocks and collecting beach treasures with his kids. For him, pouring emotion into his brand lets the world see his softer side, while bridging the gap between who he is and who he has chosen to become.

Twenty years ago, before Dixxon existed, Dreyer used clothing as his safe space. It was an avenue to express his internal feelings in a way he couldn’t otherwise articulate. This keen sensitivity is what initially inspired him to set out on a journey to find shirts that felt good to live in.

Dreyer headed into Los Angeles’ fashion district, searching for fabrics that resembled the ones he lived in when he was growing up. That’s when the idea hit him: buy a well-made shirt at wholesale, stitch in his own label, and sell it himself. “I had 180 bucks in my pocket, and I’m in L.A., and I was like, ‘How many (shirts) can I get for this?’” he explained.

Dreyer began selling his product all over town during his limited free time. He soon discovered the local motorcycle swap meet on Sundays, which drew quite a crowd, and sold his newly branded apparel there. “I got home, and I told my wife at the time, ‘Dude, I just made like $800 today. Like, it’s insane, I can’t believe it,’” he said. “I was so excited.”

Although selling shirts was his passion, it wasn’t a full-time job. He decided to move his family to Gilbert, Arizona, since it was cheaper and had better public education than Huntington Beach. He quickly landed a position working 60-hour weeks at Harley-Davidson. At first, the role seemed promising, but eventually became an unsatisfying grind of endless work, ever-changing management, and burnout culture. It became clear that it was time to put his focus wholeheartedly into his own venture: Dixxon Flannel Co.

Threads of Identity

Dreyer had always felt different from others, which made being a business owner challenging. He had no prior fashion experience, and his attention was either hyper-focused or scattered, adding to the pressure he was already experiencing

This unsettled feeling impacted his day-to-day life, and it wasn’t until 2024, 11 years after he founded Dixxon, that he finally discovered what was happening was internal. “I’m neurodivergent, and I have the OCD and ADHD thing mixed,” he confided. “When I found out I was on the spectrum, it started to click why everything was so hard for me socially.”

When business picked up and Dixxon started making money, Dreyer admitted to feeling more lost than he’d anticipated. He never aspired to be front and center, yet he unintentionally became the face of a brand.

Dreyer didn’t recognize himself as this new successful business owner. The fast pace of entertaining brands and keeping up with social events was draining his time and energy. One day while on vacation, he sat and reflected on all he’d accomplished, yet it somehow didn’t feel rewarding. “I’m sitting in one of the most beautiful places in the world, and I can’t figure out why I’m so empty,” he said. “I was so tired, and I developed multiple addictions to just keep going.”

As an introvert, Dreyer has greatly improved how he expresses himself, although he continues to have a very limited social battery. After 13 years in business, this role has given him the courage and the proper podium to sharpen his interpersonal skills and speak from the heart.

Patterns of Growth

Dreyer still remembers his restless behavior in the classroom as a kid. His incessant curiosity, free spirit, and vivid imagination made him unique as a child, yet it was difficult for him to express his thoughts and bring his ideas to life. All of this changed when he allowed his sensitive side to emerge and channeled his imagination into his work.

“Creativity used to be a thing that I was scared I was going to run out of. Now I realize it’s my lifeline. That’s what keeps me going,” Dreyer said. He sees life now as his creative canvas, leaning on interior design, fashion, or time with family, allowing his body to slow down and his imagination to soar. He thoroughly enjoys the process, whether it’s designing a new flannel at Dixxon, brainstorming ideas with his wife, or painting with his stepdaughter at home.

“I think it’s really important for my stepdaughter to have creativity at a young age,” Dreyer said. He shared that she is also neurodivergent, and seeing her grow up with it has helped him learn more about his personal struggles, which naturally strengthens their bond. “Now we have this connection, and it’s so great,” he confided.

To take his creativity a step further, Dreyer and his wife work together on various philanthropy initiatives for Dixxon. This is their way of creating a compassionate environment for their employees by leading from a place of love. The team has proudly collaborated with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, High Fives Foundation, Childhelp, Make-A-Wish Arizona, and the B Strong Foundation. Dixxon also honors veterans and first responders through special products and discounts.

“I still haven’t accepted that I’m not the guy selling flannels out of the back of my Scion,” Dreyer said. It was a moment of nostalgia for the successful business owner, as he pondered his early years working with his dad in the motorcycle shop. As he searched for flannels all those years, perhaps he was also searching for answers about himself. Dreyer’s mission in life is clear: He is here to make a difference and create a legacy that is felt rather than earned.