The traditional model of retail puts a product in store at full price to start and then gradually introduces discounts. We're flipping this upside down where we're providing our greatest discount upfront so that our most loyal customers benefit for their loyalty. We're also providing new customers and those on a budget an opportunity to more easily try vegan, sustainable, and eco-friendly materials.
While brands constantly look to cut corners, we're finding ways to do give our customers more. Here are a few ways we're doing more for our customers:
1) Material: We started with using microfiber - the best synthetic handbag material. Miles better than PU, we have bags out there from the beginning of our journey that are still beautiful with little wear. We now work with the highest end microfiber factories to bring you the best materials.
2) Material: We introduced highly biodegradable and highly sustainable materials: Pinatex and kraft paper. These materials are largely plant based and where the plant material comes from sustainable sources. Kraft paper in particular, can be employed at thicknesses of about 0.6mm which means that less resources are used.
3) Metal:Our belt buckles gone from zinc alloy to brass and mostly stainless steel. We have also moved from standard electroplating to physical vapor deposit when possible to improve quality and durability in finishes.
4) Metal: We have brass hooks on our new Hobo Bag.
5) Rewards: We offer our customers 5 points/dollar spent (that's 5% back in points)!
6) Learning: Each time we make a bag, we take what we've learned and apply it to the next bag to improve the user experience and durability.
7) Responsibility: It's not just enough to be vegan. We work to minimize waste, use more eco-friendly materials, and produce responsibly. While we're in the business to sell products, we don't want to do this at the expense of the world. We build products to last and do our best not to over produce.
Our boxes have been made from recycled paper from the start. In 2023, we switched the packaging of our belts to bags made from biodegradable corn starch.
8) We've stopped pursuing traditional retailers. There is too much margin required that forces us to keep higher prices. Retailers will have to work with our pricing structure.