See also: Who is Kickstarter for, anyway?
Dean Dormady, TAMAGEAR's president, says he started the company because he wanted to make use of his background in the consumer products industry to create something he was passionate about.
So far, TAMAGEAR has raised more than $8,000; the goal is $55,000, with a deadline of May 8.
Dormady already has the artwork, technical packs and all the materials, as well as hundreds of orders. But the factory creating the jackets will only produce hundreds at a time, which is why Dormady started the Kickstarter campaign.
"We've been bootstrapping this from the beginning and we need investment from the consumer and/or investors soon in order to scale and bring them to the market," Dormady explains.
Dormady says his products are more reliable than similar jackets, and will come with a lifetime warranty. If there is a manufacturing deficiency, TAMAGEAR will replace the product for free. And the jackets are not only waterproof, but have more technical utility, he notes.
"We feel other companies are reducing adding pockets, features and benefits to go lightweight and reduce costs," he explains. "We think the cost of having those added features are necessary costs in order to add value and function to our line."
The mid-layer jackets start at $139 for a half-zip version, and $149 for the full-zip. Other products by TAMAGEAR include down, soft-shell and hard-shell jackets, as well as hard shell pants. "We actually designed and developed sixteen different jackets," says Dormady.
Once the line is up and running, Dormady plans to donate some of each sale to the Denver Zoo -- 2 percent of online sales in the beginning, and 10 percent once the company is more profitable, he says.
But first, he has to get it going. To donate to TAMAGEAR's campaign, go to its Kickstarter website. You can donate as little as $1, and there are numerous pledges to choose from.
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