Menddie

We are committed to solving the problem of fast fashion and while doing so improving the working conditions in the whole industry of textiles. 

We believe that change can be only driven by the choices of customers which they really do not have, due to the acquired practices of effortless ordering online. Our "as easy as ordering online" solution with full logistics enables everyone to start offering their services to repair, customize and effectively maintain clothes trendy and in use for longer. Currently tailors have to compete against fast fashion to which they have little resources or modern tools to.

If scaled globally:
1. There would be less clothes thrown away, less production pressure -  better working conditions

2. Larger consumption in handmade and personalized micro fashion, less waste. 

3. Using tailoring services would be the norm, not an exclusivity only for the richest 1%.

Tailoring as an occupation has changed little, whereas world has drastically. The efficiency and how tailoring has been done cannot compete with our capitalistic system where we are now in situation where buying new clothes is less expensive than taking care of the old ones.

Tailors are most commonly working as solo entrepreneurs and there are more than 77,000 of them only in US. Most of them do not have even a website and rely only on customers walking in. We aim to enable larger audience - this also gives them the freedom to focus on their expertise within the occupation in time

We are creating a peer-to-peer platform where tailoring and customization jobs can easily be searched and sold. In addition to more seasoned textile professionals this opens up opportunities to creative artist who for example would like to do embroideries, clothing coloring or for example turn old jeans into a back bag. We aim to create the tool for creativity and solo entrepreneurs while making sure our nation takes the most of already produced textiles. 

We take care of the money traffic, accounting, logistics other secondary areas of business. When designing the service - ease of use is our number one priority for the service providers and their customers. 

We have developed a native and responsive web app with ruby and rails. We utilize already existing logistics networks that we have built our system on top of. We aim to make Android and iOS apps in the coming years too. 

When the business of these entrepreneurs is no longer location based we believe the best entrepreneurs have a true shot for success.

Ous solution serves 

1) solo entrepreneurs

Our solution has been developed hand-in-tailors and textile customization enthusiasts. We maintain the dialogue ongoing weekly with all the service providers that we work with currently to make the service suit their need the best possible way. This solution is mainly for these people and to enable their occupation in changing environment.

2) sustainable people

Our service is faster and more cost-effective and gives a realistic choice for many to make the choice between a new piece of clothing and fixing pre-owned. By today - we have individually called all of our customers to gain insight into their further needs and hear of their experience.

3) clothing brands

This came as a surprise to us - but clothing brands have approached us asking if we could cater to them and provide adjustment sewing and reclamation fixes for them.  This is under design and development and will be piloted still in 2020. 

4) Global sustainability as a whole

Clothing industry is one of the biggest threats humanity faces whether measured by human rights or sustainability meters. Everybody would be better of if resources were consumed more responsibly. 

Our belief is that world is heading to direction where more and more people are providing for themselves as entrepreneurs. If one is working for themselves the results are prone to be better and if done correctly the overall happiness and work-life balance increased. We aim to provide tools, in a field where the workers are already entrepreneurs but loosing their jobs due to the changing market. We need to have option, and it is out there already - our mission is simply make it more appealing, accessible and cost-effective. 

We are democratizing the sewing industry. Previously individual shops have sold their service - now in light of profitable new tools and services provided by us services become more accessible and appealing for public. 

Previously a customer would have had to walk into a store, where he/she would have been measured, price would have been negotiated for the job and approximately one hour later the customer would be back to the usual life. With our solution everything can be done online, no measurements are necessarily needed and the whole ordering and sending operation takes less than 5 mins, prices are know before ordering and require no asking for offers. Naturally this is also more cost effective as the tailor saves working time from reduced amount of customer service needed. 

With our solution, entrepreneurs are not tied into a one place - they can work from home or rent a working space thus improving their efficiency in previously mandatory costs.

There are similar companies to us (Clothes Doctor, Repamera), with the drastic difference that they use this solution and logistic system only for themselves - we are developing it for everyone. Our technical expertise and ability to execute exceeds theirs. 

Rigorous service design attached to web app development. We are utilizing same tools that Shopify, Github and Airbnb were constructed with. We have created a dynamic database and multiple interfaces for admin, customers and service providers that work seamlessly. Ruby on rails has extensive library of gems which enable us to work with a team of 3 developers despite the massive software architecture. 

Shopify is the best example, for user interface we have bench marked the best practices used by Fiverr and other 2 sided platforms. Here are other references: https://rubyonrails.org/

It all starts with an option. With our solution an individual has a realistic choice between fast fashion clothing or fixing a pre-owned. Currently a mega trend of sustainability and personal environmental footprint supports this choice and the person is more prone to take it now that it is given. This person is also to spread this habbit within the closest circle - this has already been happening with our pilot customers. 

After more and more people would make this choice - it would become the higher standard that makes the individual feel better - thus increasing the chances of our service providers making a better living and having the possibility of focusing on their expertise and niche.  This would result in better quality work and result and happier customers.  Happier customers in turn would choose our service more often and slowly reduce the production pressure and mitigate the existing problems in fashion industry. 

With our solution and acquired ability to focus - it would be more cost-effective for customers and further enhance the chances of mass adoption and impact. 

When enough of the public see this as the norm - clothing brands would start considering it as an option and embrace it.  Making better quality clothes that are effectively and systematically looked after. 

This is how fashion industry will change for the better and effectively create more jobs, and more importantly, better jobs. 

Listing only customer who have the option to choose:
Currently 10-50 a month. 

Within a year 500-1000 a month

in five years 10 000-100 000 a month

Within the next year we aim to improve our software to sustain the growth and cater well-enough for service providers so that the growth would be achieved organically through word of mouth. 

Within a year we aim to expand to 1-3 other European countries to explore and refine the process of expansion. We aim to have tailors, shoe makers and textile artist on board instead of only tailors. 

Within a five years we aim to have expanded to larger markets such as US, Germany and France.  At this point we are aiming to expand to India and East-Asia. Within five years repairing or alterating clothes does not seem so odd of an option. 

We are currently still in the middle of development and refining the product. Even though the current solution is valid for the existing problem - we have to find the ways to encourage people to make the choice. Currently the habit of repairing or maintaining or customization is new to many. 

Expansion also requires money through recruited people and marketing efforts. Raising money for a cause that might not be as competitive investment when looking at the returns can be a challenge. 

We believe creating exclusivity or sense of pride for using a service that lessens personal environmental footprint to less than 1% (looking only at the footprint generated of clothes ) is a great way to have people make the decision.

We have also engaged multinational green tech networks that I believe will be a huge resource. We are continuously looking for collaboration opportunities and models where we could bring in value and thus build our cause bigger and better. 

When it comes to money - European Union supports causes like ours, same does many impact focused VC, to which we have great connections to. It is numbers game to find an investor who shares our values so keenly that is willing to accept mediocre returns.

We aim to also utilize multinational media houses to our advantage when expanding. 

individual organisation, aiming to be the most ethical and inclusive startup in the world.

3 full-time, founding team

3 freelancer/contractors, a close relation that would turn into employment given the resources.

No one is as dedicated and obsessed about repairing clothes at scale than us. Our team members have previously with startups and delivered working solutions and projects with extremely tight timetables and out-of-this world expectations, with great remarks. 

We have worked 6 months without a pay for this solutions and we aim to continue as long as we can and it takes to make a change in this industry.

Personally, I see Slush and many small business as my greatest advantage due to the remaining networks. I have studied computer science and electrical engineering in Aalto University. And now also pursuing business studies on the side. Started my career when 13-years-old in a hardware startup that had a acquisition just last fall and when 17 I designed a software for an investment company that effectively took over my job in the backend and reporting.

Leevi Vahvelainen, our service and UX designer has designed the Europeans largest Design hackathon in 2018, which is where we met in the first place. Leevi finished his bachelor thesis on Design this spring in Aalto University. 

Elias Ojala, our software architect has designed and built the largest Finnish network of automated snack dispensers and designed their admin tools and user interfaces - all solo.

Oona Lindqvist (Contractor), our Brand and UI designer had her own clothing line previously and has been doing brand work clients such as Halti.

Lehtipiste - one of three logistic services in Finland that we use now
Zadaa - Peer-to-peer logistics in Europe
Kiuas Accelerator - Toolbox and mentors
2 Small sustainable clothing brands,  turnover less than 10M each
Finnish Busines Angel Network - mentors

Discussions on-going: 
UFF (in finland 100 000 kgs of repairable clothes go to waste/burnwaste through them) - worthy clothes would be sorted, repaired and old as third-hand clothing with a help of a third partner.

To sustain our business we take 20% commission out of every purchase. We offer repairs and alterations for used household items through a network of individual service providers. 

Now we only focus on clothes but hopefully in future we are able to include maintenance of hobby equipment, such as sharpening knives or repairing a horse saddle - and thus create more niche opportunities for entrepreneurs. 

Our business impact is made through lengthening the wear-time of individual clothes. We generate income and opportunities for our service providers and save their time from admin work that we have automated. With us service providers make 19-51% more money in an hour. 

to sustain our organization financially we'd need to repair 1800 clothes monthly. This I think is feasible within 15 months.

To be able to grow the business and have noticeable impact - we'd need to have 50 000 monthly customers.

I strongly believe that change is never done alone, it can be initiated but it always requires vast networks of support, endorsement and guidance - these all are something I believe Solve would bring us value in. 

I would be lying if I would deny the need for exposure that comes with it - but I also believe that for good causes it okay to be honest and straight forward with it. 

Especially when we are expanding to US - it cannot be done with out help. some areas we'd need help in: 

Recruiting regional managers from people who share the vision and passion of ours. 
Logistics contacts
Guidance in regulatory landscape of US
How to plan on PR and Exposure in US. 

Our solution only provides value for the service providers if there are enough customers to sustain as many of them as possible - thus we have to make great efforts into marketing in every region we have service providers and logistic networks in place. 

For this we need exposure, contacts to clothing brands, contacts to potential region managers.

We also need guidance in the regulatory landscape of US.

We believe other Solve members would have a lot to give in peer support and through shared networks when encountering a problem. I gladly contribute on my behalf. 

Also I believe MIT faculty and alumni initiatives should have a lot of invaluable advice to share when trying to act as catalyst of change. 

Our solution gives working-age adults the tools to work for themselves as solo entrepreneurs, the format of work that is bound to increase.

we take care of all the extra and give them the tools to access worldwide market and competition. This is unheard of in this industry - especially among those who do not have their shops in good neighborhoods where rich customers simply walk in. 

in digital space everyone have the same tools and chances for success.