A Salute to Clydesdales and Athenas: Survey Help Needed
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A Salute to Clydesdales and Athenas: Survey Help Needed
Good day! I'm working with a team on a clothing line to meet the performance apparel needs of riders that don't fit the "industry standard" body types. I've heard a great deal of frustration from my friends and other people that the cycling and performance apparel industry has largely forgotten or ignored them. I know the label "Clydesdale or Athena" is not always embraced by many, but if you identify with this profile we'd love to hear from you.
Our team's goal is to have products ready for production and shipping in April of 2020. Our product line is focused less on a "race kit", and more on premium performance wear suitable for wearing on and off the bike! Your input is critical in helping us meet our goal. Thanks in advance for your support!
You can reach our survey here:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PGPVQN8
Thank you!
Our team's goal is to have products ready for production and shipping in April of 2020. Our product line is focused less on a "race kit", and more on premium performance wear suitable for wearing on and off the bike! Your input is critical in helping us meet our goal. Thanks in advance for your support!
You can reach our survey here:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PGPVQN8
Thank you!
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Edit: When you get to the list of US states, there is an option for "Other" at the end.
Last edited by PDKL45; 10-29-19 at 05:41 PM.
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Good luck, I hope you go forward with this.
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Good luck. Hope it works for you.
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Done
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#14
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Survey is interesting. Took it for fun. Clothing targeted for the far end of the human spectrum.
Hope it goes somewhere.
At the far end of the normal curve in human size ... there are a larger variance in proportions. Little in the way of normality. I have been in enough locker rooms to verify this. I am way way way at the tail end. I was taller than my kindergarten teacher.
Tough slog for a startup clothing manufacturer.
But. Since the 1990's the number of suppliers for performance gear on extended sizes has shrunk drastically.
Same thing for production large bicycle frames. The thing is, the CNC (computer numerically controlled) equipment and software should make the opposite happen. Cost should decrease and size variety increase.
My 30 year idea that I considered for myself: Start a company with no factory. (Oh the dream of no Osha and no INSPECTORS.) Hire (contract) stay at home parents (would guess mostly one gender) and provide the equipment to produce product. They are young, and have limited options for steady employment. Run your assembly line stations with each station at a different house. Avoid debt. Grow slowly. Keep control and ownership. Could also be based in a small town. Farmers families have long winters and take other employment and need other employment and have a work ethic and a basic intelligence well above standard. Like comparing a city dog with a country dog. Wildly different intellect and capability.
Japan did this in the 60's through 80's. JIT manufacturing and robotic equipment in people's ground floors contracted for production. Not sure if this is still the case with small home production. I think the socialism of Japan might have killed the goose ... or throttled it.
There is a manufacturer of very high end lighting and furniture (small market for $10,000 tables and lights) that I have watched grow for thirty years or so. Does have a factory since machinery required won't fit in a house door. But same principal. He is obsessed with detail and although I see little outside joy in creation ... he is creative and outside the norm. Started with one item and never borrowed a dime. Had retail experience in a specialty store where he was part owner. Made him wise, I think. Course he went to the Sorbonne ... few Americans have done that. Still running his company (100% ownership) and creating at 90.
There is another in my home town that took a simple cheap material: Clay. He contracts with 'independent contractor' young people to perform the work in his facility. Creates large sculptures. Has made many many many millions. (Each piece weighs a ton and sells for $100,000 plus.)
His output is art. He found a niche by targeting the government funding of the arts. When the feds give money to the arts it has to be spent. He makes it look easy. Again, another company built over a lifetime. Don't think anyone else could carry on for him.
Know a whole string of them. Some very famous.
As a youth I knew at least three titans that started from scratch. One, Dale Clark, drove a 15 year old pickup while he donated money and worked with the Architect to create Omaha's largest library. Another that grew wealth without looking for shortcuts but enjoying the process.
I just wish I could buy better clothes off the rack and not from a slave state that harvest organs from convicts.
Instead I have a bevy of sewing machines. Made my first "Mountain Parka" coat as a teen ... and can still wear it, although it now makes a skid row denizen look like Fred Astaire in comparison. I have found it does slide easily on the pavement (
-- Think I may have enough posts to be able to post links. (newbie)
Hope it goes somewhere.
At the far end of the normal curve in human size ... there are a larger variance in proportions. Little in the way of normality. I have been in enough locker rooms to verify this. I am way way way at the tail end. I was taller than my kindergarten teacher.
Tough slog for a startup clothing manufacturer.
But. Since the 1990's the number of suppliers for performance gear on extended sizes has shrunk drastically.
Same thing for production large bicycle frames. The thing is, the CNC (computer numerically controlled) equipment and software should make the opposite happen. Cost should decrease and size variety increase.
My 30 year idea that I considered for myself: Start a company with no factory. (Oh the dream of no Osha and no INSPECTORS.) Hire (contract) stay at home parents (would guess mostly one gender) and provide the equipment to produce product. They are young, and have limited options for steady employment. Run your assembly line stations with each station at a different house. Avoid debt. Grow slowly. Keep control and ownership. Could also be based in a small town. Farmers families have long winters and take other employment and need other employment and have a work ethic and a basic intelligence well above standard. Like comparing a city dog with a country dog. Wildly different intellect and capability.
Japan did this in the 60's through 80's. JIT manufacturing and robotic equipment in people's ground floors contracted for production. Not sure if this is still the case with small home production. I think the socialism of Japan might have killed the goose ... or throttled it.
There is a manufacturer of very high end lighting and furniture (small market for $10,000 tables and lights) that I have watched grow for thirty years or so. Does have a factory since machinery required won't fit in a house door. But same principal. He is obsessed with detail and although I see little outside joy in creation ... he is creative and outside the norm. Started with one item and never borrowed a dime. Had retail experience in a specialty store where he was part owner. Made him wise, I think. Course he went to the Sorbonne ... few Americans have done that. Still running his company (100% ownership) and creating at 90.
There is another in my home town that took a simple cheap material: Clay. He contracts with 'independent contractor' young people to perform the work in his facility. Creates large sculptures. Has made many many many millions. (Each piece weighs a ton and sells for $100,000 plus.)
His output is art. He found a niche by targeting the government funding of the arts. When the feds give money to the arts it has to be spent. He makes it look easy. Again, another company built over a lifetime. Don't think anyone else could carry on for him.
Know a whole string of them. Some very famous.
As a youth I knew at least three titans that started from scratch. One, Dale Clark, drove a 15 year old pickup while he donated money and worked with the Architect to create Omaha's largest library. Another that grew wealth without looking for shortcuts but enjoying the process.
I just wish I could buy better clothes off the rack and not from a slave state that harvest organs from convicts.
Instead I have a bevy of sewing machines. Made my first "Mountain Parka" coat as a teen ... and can still wear it, although it now makes a skid row denizen look like Fred Astaire in comparison. I have found it does slide easily on the pavement (
-- Think I may have enough posts to be able to post links. (newbie)
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Thank you for taking the time to take a look and reply here. We welcome all perspectives from around the globe. We have responses from Australia, Germany and Japan!
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I hope I was not too late. But done!
Good luck and keep the sizing honest and consistant. That is the challenge for online sales.
Good luck and keep the sizing honest and consistant. That is the challenge for online sales.
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Done.
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Done. Thanks for asking bringing out a line for us larger folks.