About us

Cofactor Designs was founded in 2012 by Jade Vinson, a professional mathematician based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. What started as a passion project to celebrate the beauty of mathematical concepts through wearable art has grown into a unique business that bridges the gap between abstract mathematics and tangible making.

Our work has been recognized by the mathematical community — our Pythagorean earrings are sold at "Additions," the retail shop at the National Museum of Mathematics, where Jade also volunteers contributing to exhibit design. In 2013, the earrings were selected as exchange gifts at the prestigious Gathering for Gardner conference, celebrating the life and work of mathematical puzzle master Martin Gardner.                                   

Our Pythagorean earrings aren't just jewelry — they're a wearable proof of one of mathematics' most fundamental theorems. When worn together, the left and right earrings demonstrate the geometric relationship that has fascinated mathematicians for millennia.

A New Chapter: TIG Zipper™

In 2026, Cofactor Designs expanded into a new domain with the launch of TIG Zipper™ — a line of welding kits built on a patent-pending technique called Finger Joint Autogenous Welding (FJAW).

The idea is simple but transformative: laser-cut metal panels with precision finger joints that self-fixture and self-fill, eliminating the need for a separate filler rod. The result is that TIG welding — traditionally the most demanding welding technique to learn — becomes accessible to complete beginners. First-timers regularly produce beautiful, structurally sound welds on their very first attempt.

TIG Zipper kits are geometric by design: dodecahedrons, D10 dice, and more. The same love of mathematical form that inspired the Pythagoras Collection is present in every kit — just expressed in steel instead of silver.

Whether you're a seasoned welder looking for a satisfying new challenge, or someone who has never struck an arc, TIG Zipper is designed to make you proud of what you make.

Bulk pricing and sample kits are available for welding schools, instructors, and makerspaces. Contact us at cofactordesigns@gmail.com.

Every product we make — whether worn around your neck or welded in your shop — is designed with the same belief: that mathematical ideas are beautiful, and that beauty is something you can hold in your hands.