Lots of people love Kickstarter because of the creativity and innovation behind submitted projects. Kickstarter is a website where people are allowed to submit inspired ideas to gain financial backing to help with the development of their project. Creators are required to come up with a compelling story explaining what their ideas is, what problems it will solve, and a plan of action once they’ve raised enough money to meet their goal. Participants are also required to build rewards for different levels of support. This interactive model between inventor and patron is the power behind the success of this site.
One of our favorite categories is fashion. Here you can find prototypes for new fabrics, new functionality for familiar items of clothing, and even scientific applications for clothing.
Here are a few of the latest projects we think are noteworthy:
Kevin Zhu was looking for functionality, fit, and style when it came to running jackets but wasn’t impressed by what was available on the market. That’s where the inspiration for The Ultimate Merino Running Jacket came from. Merino wool is an ideal fabric for the environment given that it is natural, renewable and biodegradable. It also naturally adapts to body temperature making it desirable for physical activities. All the things you need to carry as a runner has its own compartments, and even special functionality for modern accoutrements such as cell phones and ear buds. Did we mention that it’s water resistant?
Because a lot of our customers are buyers for team sports, of course we’re interested in The Original Pocket Running Tights. Tired of buying fashion tights on top of functional sporting wear? These tights are suitable for both outdoor sports and indoor fashion. Plus it features a pocket to replace the need for an armband if you’re using your phone to listen to music or track activity. Don’t worry about losing your device due to vigorous exercise, these tights use a 360° Flex CoreFit with compression properties to keep it in place. You’ll not only look great, you’ll feel great with flat lock stitching to enhance circulation.
Who doesn’t want more fashionable garments made in the U.S.? This indie company is trying to bring awareness to the cause and bring more manufacturing home to the U.S., and not just manufactured here, but manufactured with quality and American preferences for look, fit, and feel. They offer the staples and a few unusual pieces that compliment any gender.
We’re all about customization and are fascinated by this great idea for little girl’s clothing. It’s based on the concept of paper dolls where one can switch out the clothing of the base doll. In this case, the doll is on the shirt and the user can switch out the dress she wears because it’s held on by Velcro. Each t-shirt comes with an assortment of changeable dresses to vary up the look of the t-shirt. We think this will be a big hit with girls 12 and under.
Last but not least and close to our screen printing hearts is this coffee inspired tee. The “ink” they use is actually specially formulated and the primary ingredient is coffee grounds. From what we can see, it gives the print an antiqued, retro look and supposedly holds up to wear. Kudos to these guys who have been working on the development of their specialty inking process for more than four years!