The Tech Wrap: A Multipurpose Carry Solution For Camera Gear

Shipping Starts Next Week + BONUS Passive Income Guide
almost 4 years ago – Wed, May 27, 2020 at 08:26:42 PM

Hi guys,

over 93% of backers have already filled their surveys. THANK YOU for making my life so much easier! For the remaining 7%: please kindly fill your surveys at your earliest convenience. 

I have LOCKED all addresses, so please understand that because of obvious technical reasons NO last minute changes can be made to your shipping address from this point onwards.

Here is a quick update for you: 

TIMELINE:

All Tech Wraps and their product packaging have finished production and are waiting for the final inspection by my certification agent. HOORAY! 

I expect to start shipping the first batch of products next week. Once the certification agent gives the green light, all products will be forwarded to the logistics center. (See more details regarding shipment below). Overall I am mostly on track but running ca. 5-7 days late vs. the indication I had provided in the previous update. Why? Because of a technical detail in the manufacturing  process of the product packaging. Long story short: The packaging design factory had to manufacture an additional cyclinder to give the zipper bag a matte finish (the glossy finish looked and felt rather low quality) which put us ca. one week behind schedule. Apologies for the minor delay here.

Shipping will be undertaken in batches as below. I try to get everything cleared in the first 2 batches already but it depends on the workload the logistics center can handle under the current situation.

Batch 1: Week of June 1st

Batch 2: Week of June 8th

Batch 3: Week of June 15th

SPECIAL COVID BONUS (Yes, really) - Passive Income For Photographers & Filmmakers

Before we go ahead with more production specifics, I want to share a step-by-step guide that I created for fellow creatives. It is an extra item which is completely detached from the campaign. The global pandemic has shown us what can happen if our most important source of income is interrupted. That's why I created a blueprint summarizing how to implement passive income ideas which are targeted towards photographers and videographers and can be set up very quickly and easily. I know every Tech Wrap backer is a camera owner and thought this would come in handy for some of you.

If photo and/or video is your main source of income then this will help you identify and plan alternative sources of income. If you are a hobby photographer this will teach you how to monetize your camera. Feel free to share with your friends. 

DOWNLOAD HERE (You will need to enter your email)

TEASER FOR FUTURE PRODUCT:

After I cleared all most important issues dealing with production, logistics and backer questions, I found some spare time to finalize marketing material that I had shot a few months ago for my next passion project which will be titled: Photography Cheat Sheet Playing Cards. It is a cheat sheet full of camera knowledge which is printed onto a deck of custom playing cards. For those interested: The new product will be launched a while AFTER the current Tech Wrap project is successfully completed and all pledges were dispatched and customer service queries answered. 

SHIPPING RATES EXPECTED TO REMAIN UNDER CONTROL DESPITE PANDEMIC:

Logistics providers and global shipping prices remain under extreme stress because of the pandemic but the situation starts to stabilize. The majorities of flights were cancelled, delays are still common and shipping rates went up ca. 500% vs. a few months ago temporarily. In other words: A parcel which would have cost ca. 5 USD to ship in March can cost ca. 25 USD at the moment with certain providers which is a bit crazy.

What does this mean for the project? I have an extremely trustworthy logistics partner who has access to a variety of different shipping options. We determined the best tradeoff between the following factors:

• ship the pledges as fast as possible
• identify most secure shipping options
• identify most affordable shipping options
• enable tracked shipping
• avoid delays

CURRENT IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROJECT:

1. Tracking is expected to remain completely unaffected. All parcels will be fully tracked.

2. Smaller parcels (1-3 items) are expected to remain largely unaffected in shipping times and can be immediately dispatched.

3. Medium sized to larger parcels (4+ items) are expected to be affected in shipping times (Due to the limited availability of flights at the moment) and MIGHT encounter delays and would then be shipped in batch 2-3. I apologize for the inconvenience to the most committed backers who pledged for multiple items.

A leading global Logistics company states: "Peak PPE demand and limited capacity continue to keep air cargo rates high but level this week, according to our data. [...] Air cargo volumes remain low due to the outbreak. The good news is that volumes seem to be stabilizing, which may indicate the start of a rebound as EU and US economies start to reopen." Source: https://www.freightos.com/freight-resources/coronavirus-updates/

That's it for now! You will hear from me in the next update! Thanks for your support once again!

Best,

Eric

Production In Progress - Final Samples & First Indicative Timeline
about 4 years ago – Wed, Apr 22, 2020 at 09:53:53 PM

Hi guys,

GOOD NEWS! I have received the funds from Kickstarter (literally today; I felt this took a bit longer than ususal) and I have already placed the mass order with my trusted manufacturer. They have already started purchasing the raw material last week and now they will start cutting and assembling the Tech Wraps. In this update I would like to take the opportunity to outline the timeline and showcase the final product and packaging.

Survey Completion:

Over 86% of backers have completed the Backerkit surveys already! WELL DONE and thank you! For those of you, who haven't filled out their surveys yet, please check your email inbox. If you cannot find the original mail please also check the spam folder otherwise just shoot me an email at [email protected] and I will assist you.

Finished Product:

I would like to showcase the final product (the so called "Golden Samples"). A few more improvements have been made:

• I feel like the overall quality has improved with the new supplier. Can you see that based on the images?
• The smaller and more subtle logo was placed on the inside part of The Tech Wrap.
• The elastic cord was reinforced and now the same material grade like the popular "Red Whips" by Think Tank. As a result the stopper is a bit more solid now and feels like higher quality.

• The supplier has changed the fabric treatment to achieve better waterproofing.   

Finalized Packaging Design:

In the previous update I had asked for your help/opinion regarding packaging options and my packaging designer had immediately implemented your thoughts so this is how the final product packaging will look like:

Indicative Timeline:

The indicative completion date of the production run will be around May 15th - May 20th latest (already taken into account elevated lead times due to the global pandemic). The following week, I will send my certification agent to the factory to ensure that the quality of the products is to the highest standards and exactly as agreed in the specifications. 

Backerkit surveys will be LOCKED around the 20th of May (you won't be able to modify your address after this date; but don't worry you will receive a swift email notification)

The products will then be packed and should arrive in the warehouse around May 20th - May 25th. My shipping agent will then scan the ca. 2500 orders, package them securely and dispatch them ASAP. When everything is dispatched I will post an update titled "Project Completed". Uploading the tracking codes into your survey usually takes an additional 1-2 days, so if everything goes according to plan, I expect that you will receive the tracking information in your inbox not later than May 25th - May 30th which successfully COMPLETES THE PROJECT (well within the promised timeline). Please note that these are indicative dates and I will update as I go along.

Speak soon! Best,

Eric

P.S: What I have been up to

Sitting at home in isolation is quite boring so I started to go through footage of old trips and have edited a few long overdue travel videos. If you have 1 minute and 59 seconds and fancy a virtual short trip out of your isolation, feel free to check out my latest creation from a trip to Vietnam on my Youtube channel and comment your opinion/criticism. I value your opinion as a creative / camera owner.

Surveys Are Sent! NEED YOUR OPINON On Packaging Design
about 4 years ago – Wed, Apr 08, 2020 at 08:09:54 PM

Hi guys,

SURVEYS IN YOUR INBOX

please check your inbox in the next days. You will receive an automated email with a special link to your BackerKit survey. It is important to respond to your survey quickly since I need this information to fulfill your rewards.

You don’t need to create a BackerKit account to fill out your survey. When you receive the email with the survey, click the survey link to respond. Answer the questions about your reward preferences, provide shipping information, and purchase add-on items if you like. 

After you respond to your survey, you can go back later and change your responses at any time before I close the surveys and get the final counts. In a few weeks time, when surveys will close: Please cross check one more time and ensure your shipping address is up-to-date.

If you used your Facebook credentials to log in to your Kickstarter account, the BackerKit survey is sent to the email address you use for your Facebook account.

NEED YOUR OPINION: Packaging Design

Remember, I had presented a mockup of the packaging design (zipper pouch with a window) in one the previous updates. Artwork for packaging design is usually made created in Illustrator files which designers call a "dieline". I made progress in the meantime so please see some more mockups and vector art and tell me your opinion. I will finalize the design shortly and hand it over for production so your pledges will arrive protected and nicely packaged.

Best,

Eric

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WE MADE IT! What is next? Surveys + YOUR OPINION is needed
about 4 years ago – Thu, Apr 02, 2020 at 09:48:16 PM

Hello everyone,

WE MADE IT! The project counts about 2500 supporters and this makes me incredibly proud. A HUGE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE! In this update I will outline the next steps and everything else that is important. The next updates will focus on the production side of things and give you exclusive looks behind the scenes and keep you updated with the timeline.

1) SURVEYS

In the next days, you will receive an email invitation from our partner to fill out a quick survey that collects important details like:  A)  your Shipping Adress and allows you to B) decide product details that help me tailor the product exactly according to the community needs. Further more you can select C) add-on items. The Kickstarter platform will also D) collect your pledges. I will then hand over the final "golden" samples to my certification agent who will document all details for the quality control. That is incredibly important to guarantee everything goes according to plan. Once I receive the funds from Kickstarter I will commence mass production.

2) UPGRADED Manufacturing Partner. 

Because of the massive support of over 2000 backers we gained access to a better and larger Manufacturing partner. What does that mean in detail?  

Before the campaign started, I had approached two reliable and known manufacturers for pricing and samples. Both are very decent but my first choice was the larger of the two. It is a manufacturing partner that produces fabric goods for companies like H&M or Disney (among others) and is certified with topethical standards etc. They usually work with higher minimum order quantities (5000pcs or more). Thanks to the power of 2000+ backers the first order batch will eadily reach such a quantity, so that means we will be working with my first choice partner for this product. This will improve lead times and decrease risks greatly. Notice that I haven't talked about COVID19? Simply because this project had started when the current situation was already in motion and I had obtained accurate lead times from the manufacturers and shipping partners BEFORE and therefore had added 3 weeks of extra safety cushion to the suggested timeline ALREADY. My main goal now is to to beat that timeline ;) One thing worth mentioning is that global logistics costs are disproportionally high at the moment. I assume that this is a temporary effect and willl flatten out in the upcoming weeks. Either way, that is of no concern at the moment as I am just starting production and the actual shipping date is still a few weeks away but as a diligent and transparent creator I share ANYTHING worth of note with the community.

3) I NEED YOUR OPINION: Removable Velcro Patches? Color Coded Cords?

Lots of backers had requested the option to A) TAG CONTENT or B) COLOR CODE CONTENT. I thought this is a genius idea, particularly for people who use multiple tech wraps for their entire gear. We elaborated a few options together and removable Velcro tags, often seen on outdoor or military-type gear, seemed very appealing.

I created a quick mockup of how this could look like:  

Would you be interested in such a functionality? It would make a great add-on product but note that I have to elaborate people's opinion in the surveys first and need speak to the manufacturer and check timeline, feasibility and pricing, hence please do NOT consider this as a definite go for the feature yet but as photographer I would be very keen to be able to tag my items. Let's see what you think about it and where the direction goes :-)

The new design allows the elastic cords to be replaced. This has the potential to create another  add-on product. Imagine a set of colored stoppers or even cords that could be used to distinguish your gear. Obviously I would choose a limited palette of more subtle colours to avoid a "childish" rainbow look. What do you think?

Thanks for everyone who had shared the campaign on social media and provided me with a screenshot via email as instructed. I noted all of these people down for the freebies but please note that this was a promotion valid during the live campaign only and has expired now. I will keep you posted on further updates and do not hesitate to reach out directly to [email protected] if you need anything and AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT! You are awesome!!

Best,

Eric

MORE IMPROVEMENTS: Revised Cord Attachments & Smaller Logo / Placement
about 4 years ago – Sun, Mar 22, 2020 at 01:51:07 AM

The beauty about Kickstarter is that backer feedback constantly improves the prototypes showcased on the platform, so the product development stays a constant process with direct community feedback.

IMPROVEMENT: Design of Cord Attachments & Smaller Logo / Placement

After adding stoppers as an extra feature I would like to announce a new improvement on the latest penultimate production prototype that will be showcased in-depth very soon. The current cord attachment was meant to be permanently attached to the water repellant nylon fabric however during the earlier phases I had developed another concept: 

That didn't include the top patch and I also realized that the logo size could be a bit more subtle. Check out this latest mock-up and a scan of the original concept:

How do you like it?

You could consider that another stretch goal unlocked, except for the fact that I don't make such a big deal out if it haha.

Packaging Design: MOCK UP

I put together a quick mockup of how the packaging is most likely going to look like. The inspiration was common packaging seen on other fabric products such as T-Shirts. This packaging will ensure that the wraps can be dispatched in small parcels and do not waste unneccesary packing material. Furthermore the fabric is sealed off and does not deteriorate which is a great advantage when stored in a warehouse. I sourced a top-notch packaging supplier and he says that these bags could potentially be made from bio-degradable material, which would greatly satisfy me as an outdoor enthusiast, but this detail (among many others) has yet to be confirmed. How do you like it?

Tagging your content:

Backers had requested the ability to add a tag to mark what is contained in the wrap. A few options discussed were: Colored Stoppers, A See-through Window, A patch that can be scribbled on with a permanent marker. Any thoughts?

Humble beginnings:

This is how the very first "proof-of-concept" looked like. The product had Microfiber on both sides and an elastic cord that I would permanently misplace because it wasn't attached. ;) Gladly, the water repellant fabric was introduced.

That's it! 

Best,

Eric

P.S. Check out another teaser for my next project