Crowdfunding :: Bashing Down Barriers to Entry

Gone are the days when only established carry brands could create and offer their creations to a mass market. Thanks to the rise of crowdfunding websites, now everyone has a chance to make their carry creation dreams a reality. Now, there’s no denying that not every crowdfunded carry project is going to be a winner but for people who are passionate about their dream and willing to put the effort in to create carry that others will want to get behind, crowdfunding can open doors that previously would have been almost impossible to heave open even a crack, let alone enough to get a foot in.

Crowdfunding is also a platform for change. Many projects on these sites stem from people not finding products that suit their needs and deciding if it doesn’t exist, they’ll make it exist. One such example is Matador, a brand that designed military-inspired business carry which is durable without costing wince-worthy sums.

Of course, it’s not just people starting out in the industry who turn to crowdfunding sites. Some established brands utilize these resources very effectively as a helping hand towards offering great product for their customers. Take Boreas as a case in point, who successfully funded their Bootlegger series through Kickstarter – well more than successfully, as they smashed their target goal of $10,000 by more than 14 times that amount.

It’s possible to argue that crowdfunded carry projects can give existing brands a subtle (or perhaps not so subtle as such sites increase in popularity) nudge to up their game and produce inspiring carry instead of the same old things that a multitude of other brands are churning out. On the other hand, you could argue that some of those same old things are evident across the crowdfunding sites.

Plus there are other drawbacks too, such as some project owners being completely unprepared and overwhelmed by the level of backing they receive and subsequently struggling to fulfil the demand created by their backers. Another key drawback is that project owners are essentially asking their backers to take a leap of faith – there’s no chance to see and handle the reward items in person before you buy them and it’s often months before backers receive the items they paid for if the project is successfully funded.

However, one thing is clear…plenty of new players are staking their claim in the carry industry thanks to crowdfunding and if carry enthusiasts are willing to spend time sifting through the grit to find the gems, it can be a win-win for brands and customers alike.

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What are your thoughts on crowdfunding carry projects? Do you dig them? Are there too many projects trying to make a quick buck without coming up with exciting and inspiring carry? Does a carry project have to offer something game-changing in order to be “worthy” of funding or does it not matter as long as people are willing to pay for the product?