Skirtcraft Kickstarter is Live

[moonshadow]

I'm very glad you like it, moonshadow.

I took a look at the photos linked in your signature. I love the colorful, flowy ones! Especially with the horizontal bands. Would you call them "peasant skirts"?

I think I know they one you're talking about (below), and we had that exact same discussion on this site when it was purchased. "peasant skirt" is actually what I finally settled on calling it.
If it's this one:

Then that is the one that was purchased from the Good Will in Galax VA. It is a favorite. I believe it may have been a dancing skirt for the fiddlers conventions they have near Galax, as it flares out pretty wide and twirls like no other skirt I have. It's a lot of fun to wear, and dance in.

A lot of the colorful "flowy" ones are also among my favorites, and many were most likely purchased from Misty Mountain Designs in Bristol VA/TN. (2 locations). Really friendly people who are happy to encourage and support men in skirts, it's a hippie/freestyler type of store that is a lot of fun to shop in.

Anyway, expect another order in the coming months. Gotta get caught up on a few things first (had to get a least one of your skirts under my belt... no pun intended). I'm also trying to talk my wife into buying at least one so we can have matching skirts!

[Milfmog]

Joe,

From your email earlier this week, I gather that you are now considering making the longer version of the unaligned skirt as a commercial product. Do you have any idea of when that will be available to buy? Will there need to be another Kickstarter project to raise the seed capital?

Have fun,


Ian.

[finrod]

Joe,

From your email earlier this week, I gather that you are now considering making the longer version of the unaligned skirt as a commercial product. Do you have any idea of when that will be available to buy? Will there need to be another Kickstarter project to raise the seed capital?

Have fun,


Ian.

Hey Ian,

Yes, I'm hoping to launch the longer skirt as a product. Most likely it will require another Kickstarter project, both to raise seed capital and to prove out the demand.

It will likely be some months at least before the effort begins in earnest because I have some family goings-on this year. Also, if possible I would like to establish the first product more firmly before expanding to a second one. Currently the knee-length Unaligned skirt is available only via our website, and sales continue, though at a modest pace. It would be great to "get the product out there" more, whether via events, advertising, or availability in shops or other online marketplaces. But, I have yet to decide the direction to take for these. One reason I've been slower with it is that I'm an introvert who loves designing and creating products, but have less talent/passion for the marketing/sales side of things.

I do hope to have a presence at some outdoor events this spring and summer. Selling in shops is a tough one, because it requires the price to increase a fair bit due to the cut the retailer must take to cover their expenses. The price on the website would have to increase to match, too, since (for good reason) a retailer doesn't like it when customers can try out a product in their shop and then order it online for a lower price. Our current direct-to-consumer sales model avoids the retail markup, somewhat offsetting the higher cost of U.S. production.

Joe

[Caultron]

...Yes, I'm hoping to launch the longer skirt as a product. Most likely it will require another Kickstarter project, both to raise seed capital and to prove out the demand.

It will likely be some months at least before the effort begins in earnest because I have some family goings-on this year. Also, if possible I would like to establish the first product more firmly before expanding to a second one. Currently the knee-length Unaligned skirt is available only via our website, and sales continue, though at a modest pace. It would be great to "get the product out there" more, whether via events, advertising, or availability in shops or other online marketplaces. But, I have yet to decide the direction to take for these. One reason I've been slower with it is that I'm an introvert who loves designing and creating products, but have less talent/passion for the marketing/sales side of things.

I do hope to have a presence at some outdoor events this spring and summer. Selling in shops is a tough one, because it requires the price to increase a fair bit due to the cut the retailer must take to cover their expenses. The price on the website would have to increase to match, too, since (for good reason) a retailer doesn't like it when customers can try out a product in their shop and then order it online for a lower price. Our current direct-to-consumer sales model avoids the retail markup, somewhat offsetting the higher cost of U.S. production.

Joe

I have no direct small-business experience, but marketing is key in any business. Products don't sell themselves; you have to sell them. Perhaps you can find a friend or neighbor or somebody else cheap to help you with this.

Etsy.com and eBay are two sites probably worth looking into.

Someone told be once that you can't really go into the tropical fish business, or the restaurant business, or the shoe-repair business, or the landscaping business, or whatever. There's really only one business you can go into, and that's selling. If you can't be good at selling, no product in the world is going to save you.

[moonshadow]

Might also consider Amazon.

And I know it's somewhat of a loooooooooong shot..... but may be worth a look into none the less, and that is to approach stores like Bass Pro Shops and the like. May be wishful thinking, but imagine getting a non-kilt man skirt in a major retailer. Unfortunatly, the current price may be prohibitive to walmart.... not that you'd probably really want that headache anyway... just ask Kraft and Vlasic. They'll have you outsourcing that skirt to China for a retail of $15, you might make a nickle of each one sold.

But stores like Bass Pro tend to already have a reputation for carrying more pricey items anyway, they're not really a "discount" store after all, but a outdoorsy store. The fact that it's made in the USA I would imagine would also help with US buyers. I can see the skirt being perfect for the outdoorsy people. A garment that everyone in the family can enjoy while enjoying their weekend. Add a camo line and you'd be set!

But then again, every business venture I have tackled I ran plumb into the ground.... so there's that... proceed with great caution before taking my advice...

... it's been known to be faulty!

[Caultron]

...may be worth a look into none the less, and that is to approach stores like Bass Pro Shops and the like...

An outfit called Mountain Hardware has been trying that with their Men's Elkommando Hiking Kilt, and they seem to have established a certain niche. I've had people on the trail ask if that's what I'm wearing, so at least they know about it.

I've never seen a rack of them in stores, though. They're always just available through mail order.

http://www.mountainhardwear.com/mens-el ... M3417.html

[skirted_in_SF]

I've never seen a rack of them in stores, though. They're always just available through mail order.

REI used to have Elkommando kilts on their website, not sure if they ever sold it in their stores. Last time I looked, it wasn't on the site either.

Edited to correct the quote attribution. Sorry Moon.

[moonshadow]

I've never seen a rack of them in stores, though. They're always just available through mail order.

REI used to have Elkommando kilts on their website, not sure if they ever sold it in their stores. Last time I looked, it wasn't on the site either.

I think I've been misquoted.