Origami

Figuring out shipping has been a nightmare. We just can't get over how expensive it is!

I'm really thinking of just getting in the car, and tossing these suits on people's doorsteps, like a newspaper.

No wait, lets check out USPS. Well, if we can squeeze this suit into a 5" box (that can roughly hold 3 DVDs and not a breath more) we could offer a flat rate shipping of $5.35 anywhere in the US.
You know, that's reasonable.

We are now practicing origami (that's gone horribly wrong) on a boys large bathing suit.  We can't fit the suit in the box. God forbid, someone buys more than one.

OK, let's look at the next size box. Definitely roomier - could accommodate 3 or 4 suits. Things are certainly looking up. Holy Cow, its $11 to ship this anywhere in the country!

And I just remembered we already integrated our shopping cart with USPS - shipping labels and everything. If I have to edit that html code one more time, someone is getting a call.
Most likely my mother.

We're going back to the origami.

Photos From Our Day In NYC

Here we are in the Fashion District for the first time.  Very excited to start our day!

So many fabrics to choose from!

Thank goodness for Boaz and his expertise.  He helped us choose the perfect, anti-microbial fabric for our liner.

Grommets!  Very important.

This is where the grading and marking will take place.  What a fascinating process this is!

Off to our next stop.  Boaz organized a great day for us to meet all of the people who will make this happen.

Cutting and Sewing.  What a busy place!

Barely a scrap!  They use every bit of fabric.

We call this "The Glitch In The Stitch".  This is where we decided that we need a certain kind of flat stitch for our liner in order to make it as comfortable as possible when against the skin.  This contractor doesn't have that kind of sewing machine.  Thanks to Boaz, we found one that does!

Learning all about the making of the pattern and sample.  Our process is almost complete.

Boaz is adding his expertise to our pattern maker.  We are ready to have our sample made! Our goal...to create Anti Chafe swimwear for guys!

Walking the Walk

During the conceptual phase of this project, we were focused on two things: comfort ; made in the usa ; and oh yeah, we want to be as green as we can about it.

The comfort part has been a very fun, creative effort.  Move a seam here. Try a different fabric. What about this kind of stitching? What do you mean there's no machine that does that type of stitching in this country? We've all learned a ton in a very short amount of time.

The problem we're finding, which we've all heard a million times on the news, is that there's very little manufacturing in this country anymore.

So, how do you really stay green and carbon neutral when you have to import everything?
Ok, so we settle for textiles that are greenly produced and reached out to bluesign to see if they have a product certification process we could receive for our product.
And to put it on a boat to get here, you have to order 1000's of whatever-you're-buying as a minimum.
Ok, so we look at our funding differently or should we look at other materials. Oh but those materials aren't so environment friendly.

Round and round we go. Some of these I can talk myself in and out of, all day.


We're constantly re-negotiating decisions with ourselves in order to remain focused in the same direction - maybe not the direction we would have exactly defined, but certainly the same spirit.


But there have been lots of Aha Moments.
THATs what a marker /grader does. 
The fabric isn't cut by machine but by hand? OH.
Oh so THIS is why its hard to say Made in the USA.
(Btw, we're doing it, but make no mistake, its difficult.)


And really, you do need a model to figure out the fit and see how it looks on a live person rather than your sketchbook.  If your pattern is screwed , then so are you.

The good part is that the sewing contractors and suppliers we've been introduced to (thank you very much Boaz!) have been excellent. Very timely and responsive. Our pattern is being made as we type.
:)
It's very exciting to see something you drew turn into something you wear. Final product - Anti Chafe Swimwear for Boys and Men!

Touring the Fashion District

We spent the day in New York City's Fashion District with our fashion/business consultant, Boaz David.  The man is a fashion genius!  Anyone looking to start a new business in fashion should contact him.  Boaz showed us around the Fashion District and introduced us to exactly the right suppliers we needed to complete our vision for this product. It would have taken us months to find the right suppliers on our own. We saw tons of fabric, picked out labels, met with the people who do grading and marking - it was certainly a whole new world for us.  It was a long and exciting day!  We are now ready for our very first sample to be made.  This dream is starting to become a reality!  We really will be designing, and selling Anti Chafe swimwear for Boys and Men!

Introduction

Welcome to NoNetz Bathing Suits! 
Anti Chafe Swimwear for Boys and Men!

We have developed a swimsuit without the annoying net liner that tends to cause a rash from chafing.
We plan to launch our first line of boys swimwear on April 15th, 2012.
Men's swimwear is coming soon.

For years we have watched our husbands and sons suffer on our beach vacations.  After a few days at the beach, they would develop a rash commonly caused by chafing net liners.  The only solution was to cut the net out and wear their boxers underneath.

We're bringing a new solution to the market to solve this problem.
Our suit has a comfortable, anti-microbial brief inside which replaces the net liner.  We spent a lot of time designing this liner : special high performance fabric with a minimal amount of seams.

Plus, our liner has the highest eco-friendly certification - its bluesign approved.

We're really trying to be as thoughtful as possible to ensure maximum comfort.
Even the care and sizing labels are located where they would be the least irritating - inside the pocket flap of the pocket.


When you're playing in the water, we've got you covered.

Please check back often to see our progress, and visit our website at www.NoNetz.com.