Buddhi -Bags & Acc made In Nepal
Buddhi is a stylish brand with the best quality hand felted bags in the most unique form made exclusively in Nepal.
Buddhi is a bag- and accessory label with the ambition to be known internationally as a stylish brand with the best quality hand felted bags made exclusively in Nepal.
The style of the bags is recognizable by it’s sculptural, seemless shape.
By making a new performance with a technique known for centuries; felting.
Finding a new market with new designs to increase the sales for Nepal is the challenge and ambition of my label Buddhi.
Facts
2008
| Two years ago: | |
| Last year: | |
| This year (forecast): | 5,000 |
| Year 2 (forecast): | 10,000 |
| Year 3 (forecast): | 30,000 |
| Two years ago: | |
| Last year: | |
| This year (forecast): | 3,000 |
| Year 2 (forecast): | 6,000 |
| Year 3 (forecast): | 20,000 |
| Two years ago: | 1 |
| Last year: | 1 |
| This year (forecast): | 1 |
| Year 2 (forecast): | 2 |
| Year 3 (forecast): | 2 |
Finance needed
| Finance needed for fixed assets (buying of machines, buildings, ...) | 5,000 |
| Finance needed for working capital (salaries, stock, rental, leasing, transport, ...) | 10,000 |
| Total finance needed (US$) | 15,000 |
How do you expect this to be financed? Please note: the total amount mentioned here should be equal to the total finance needed at the previous question.
| Own Contribution in cash | 0 |
| Loans (debt) | 0 |
| Share capital that you seek from investors (equity) | 7,500 |
| Other sources | 7,500 |
| Total finance needed (US$) | 15,000 |
The Business
High quality felt hand felted bags designed by Kim van Beek and produced by the Association for Craft producers in Nepal. The first and second collection are bags. In the future the collection will be extended by other products, but the first and foremost focus is to recognised world wide as the brand with best quality felted bags/products in the most unique forms to increase the sales in Nepal.
A handbag is not a need. That is why it is important to be both distinctive in style and functional in use. We need to explain the waterproof quality of felt and the strong and sustainable value.
By hand:
First one lays 3 layers of wool around a mall. Each side
3 layers of 70 grams.
Then you start felting by hand with hot water and soap. The felting process of the bag takes about 9 hours. The felting process of the handle about 3 hours.
The rope in the handle 2 hours.
the doorknobs and attaching the handle: 1 hour.
Felting in total: 15 hours
By sewing machine:
The sewing process of the lining takes 3 hours.
In total: 18 hours
By writing to fashion journalists of newspapers like Parool/NRC/Volkskrant, fashion magazines and online blogs. When my online store is finished i will get an article in the Parool. I have two selling points , shoe shop Antonia and the Hermitage museum store, but to reach a larger public i aim to sell my brand in bid shopping centers like Selfridges.
"Felt is the new leather". I'll stress both the quality and my choice to work with ACP in Nepal.
It is an exclusive product, a product to be sold in good design stores and shopping malls with exclusive brands.
The customers are fan of beautiful design but will also appreciate my choice to work with a developing country. Which is why it is an educated, open minded market, with a normal to good salary, loving art and culture.
But, it's a product with a social cultural side to it, packed in a unique form,it is not empty luxurary.
Independant starting bag designers as well as the big established brands bags like Oilily, Fred de la Bretonierre, or Hester van Eeghen. Or even the big Italian leather bags like Fendi or other independant Italian designers lying in the Bijenkorf.
It is a new form which doesn't exist yet. At the same time you are supporting the study or the life costs of young woman in Nepal who would otherwise have a low chance of a good life.
It is a new simple form, a new design for an old technique. The felt looks like it never looked before, richer and by a good technique of felting a very high quality. Also i want to promote it worldwide as a replacement for leather bags. it's just as rich as material, waterproof and a unique seemless form.
The handle attachement is also new, mot existing yet. With doorknobs, curtain rope and one handle.
To realise a new collection each year and to find a partner who helps me with the publicity and sales. I want to go to fairs for my brand recognition. If i have financial support i would able to create a stock and work on a steady production. Then i can extend , next to the online store, my selling points with a bigger capacity.
I work as a part time entrepreneur now, i want to start selling, so i can invest more time in Buddhi to make it grow.
The Entrepreneur & Management
I am the designer, the entrepreneur and the manager.
My experience as an entrepreneur started when i started Buddhi two years ago. I am unexperienced as an entrepreneur, but i have the skills to be one.
My strongest skill is my creativety.
I did the Hotel Management School in Maastricht and after that a fashion design school Artemis in Rotterdam.
My role in the business is design/marketing/ publicity/sales.
My vision and belief in this product. Also my persistance to control the quality, be critical when needed and also my social, motivating and convincing skills to make sure i get a team in Nepal who have the drive to make each bag as beautiful as the sample and build up a solid brand.
I want to stick to my goal to find a new market with a good design for an old craft and increase the sales for Nepal.
Right now i work 25 hours per week as a part time entrepreneur. As it is not profitable yet i have another job for four days. In future i hope to spend all my time in Buddhi.
Development
The factory i work with has been set up with the goal to learn women a craft so they can bring in their own salary in the family; empowerment of women.
I stand behind this social goal contribute by producing my bags with A.C.P. ( the Association for Craft producers.)
I also intend to extend the team with young women of >18 who turned orphan without a family. They need income; if they have the skills and like felting i give them a training.
