S06.E19: Sseko Designs, Gold Rush Nugget Bucket, Boobypack, Lumi

[designing1]

The old fashioned way is probably more fun, anyway -- you get to slosh that little pan around and make a bit of a mess. Pouring water into a bucket? Yawn.

[KaveDweller]

Okay, I can see how it could be useful for a key and an ID when you are out jogging, especially if it is sweat-proof, but I wonder how long it would be before the EMTs/police would think to check your armpit for your ID.  Plus, depending on your running stance and if you have sleeves, it could rub against your inner arm.

 

That's true, I'm curious what it would actually feel like on.  It's really the type of thing you need to buy in person and not online, because it could work well, but it could be really awful too.

[LeGrandElephant]

I can't go anywhere without my iPhone. So I have various jogging clothes with pockets, but none are really very comfortable because heavy items bounce when running. They're ok, but its not ideal. I never really solved the problem - I just switched to bike riding instead of jogging and got a bike basket to put my purse in. 

[marny]

I thought the bathing suit version of the sports bra was a good idea.  When you go to the beach, you don't want to leave your money sitting on the sand unattended while you go in the water.  Or if you go to a waterpark, it's a good way to carry money without having to tote a purse around.  As a sports bra, I can see putting a house key in there when you go for a run, and that would be flat enough that it shouldn't be annoying.  But it just didn't look that supportive to me.  Plus, I have several pairs of spandex running pants that have a small zippered compartment on the back of the waist band that serves the same purpose.

[Eolivet]

I was fully onboard with the sandal people.  There's a Plowsharing Crafts place in St. Louis that's 100% stuff from third world countries and I feel good about shopping there, buying gift certificates.  Some of it's like old plastic bread wrappers twisted, braided and woven into a textile item and some of it's handmade jewelry that will take your breath away.  Llama wool and batik.  Carved instruments.  I believe this is a good thing.  Sweatshops?  I've seen too many women offering me things for US$1 that took them hours to make.

 

To me, there's a difference between "crafts of developing nations that celebrate their culture" (I'm guessing, since llama wool isn't exactly an American staple) and "American-designed products produced by developing nations." Which, as other posters have pointed out, is pretty much 65-70% of every product pitch on Shark Tank. It'd be one thing if she discovered these cool sandals in Uganda and is bringing the latest in Uganda fashion over to America (and helping Uganda at the same time), but she designed them herself using ribbons during her senior year of college.

 

I have a theory that her product sounds less offensive than it is because it's sandals, and there's a sort of "sandals" and "African women" association that makes it seem like a more...indigenous product. But substitute "widget" for "sandals" and you have "I came up with a widget and then I went to Africa and I pay African workers to make my widget design and my workers use their widget-making proceeds to go to college."

 

Now there's absolutely nothing special about her product...and I have to believe she knows this.

Edited February 15, 2015 by Eolivet

[Lola16]

I can't go anywhere without my iPhone. So I have various jogging clothes with pockets, but none are really very comfortable because heavy items bounce when running. They're ok, but its not ideal. I never really solved the problem - I just switched to bike riding instead of jogging and got a bike basket to put my purse in. 

What about those armbands that iPods fit in?

[leisawoo]

Just to jump in with a couple of things. I lived in Florida, now back in Ga. Stores have signs (cuz it's an epidemic y'all, srsly) that state we will not accept money from customers' bras or shoes. Hot as hell down here. I wouldn't take it either. They used to ad omg, ppl have pulled out some sweaty ass dollars in front of me in line. Now, they don't accept.

Also, little miss Lumi apparently went back to kick starter. I used to get emails was bored and went to look and see what happened. She raised 268,000+ on a 50,000 campaign. Lotta suckers out there if ya ask me.

[NikSac]

Just to jump in with a couple of things. I lived in Florida, now back in Ga. Stores have signs (cuz it's an epidemic y'all, srsly) that state we will not accept money from customers' bras or shoes. Hot as hell down here. I wouldn't take it either. They used to ad omg, ppl have pulled out some sweaty ass dollars in front of me in line. Now, they don't accept.

 

 

hahaha really??? We have the whole "no shoes, no shirt, no service" signs around here but I don't think I've seen "no sweaty bras or shoes" signs. Not saying it's a bad idea, I just think it's funny they have to have signs for it. Hm... so if you have the bra-wallet ("knocker locker" was my fave name so far) what do you do?  Pull out your money and wave it around to dry off before you try to use it?  I can't even imagine being the poor cashier having to tell that person "nope, sorry, your money is too sweaty."

[leisawoo]

The look on their faces, lol. I loved one cashier at Walmart. I am not kidding: visibly perspiring woman DUG a couple bills out the old knocker locker. They were visibly damp. Cashier did not miss a beat. She reached under the counter, pulled out and donned a latex glove, then took the money. I laughed out loud and said hell yeah! Sweaty Dollas gave us that dirty look with the "pssssh" snatched her shiz and stormed right out the store.

[LeGrandElephant]

What about those armbands that iPods fit in?

Yeah, I don't really like those either. They work ok but they feel annoying and it's hard to get the phone in and out quickly and I like to take photos when I'm out jogging or walking.

[Pepperminty]

Re the sandals, they mentioned the labor costs in Uganda were similar to what they'd be paying for manufacturing in China. So we should think about that the next time we purchase something made in China. I'm sure the women in Uganda are happy for this opportunity, even if it originates from a "white woman" (seriously?).

Unfortunately, I didn't like the sandals. They looked really uncomfortable.

[Amarsir]

I'm sure the women in Uganda are happy for this opportunity

 

I'm sure they are too. But don't make them stand in a field to say "thank you" into a camera. It's demeaning.

[needschocolate]

I'm sure they are too. But don't make them stand in a field to say "thank you" into a camera. It's demeaning.

 

I think it was only demeaning if they felt it was demeaning.  

 

We don't know if she forced them to get photographed  - "Hey all you poor people - You want your check, then you better smile for the camera"

 

Or if they wanted to do it

- "My picture will be on your website / hanging in your corporate office / be on TV in America? Sure, take as many as you want"

- "You are taking pictures? Can I have copies?

- "Can I take my picture with you?  You have given me an opportunity that I never would have gotten without you."

 

If she owned a shoe factory in Kansas and announced that she was taking pictures for the company newsletter, some people would do what they could to avoid being in the pictures (I would be one of those people) and some people would rush over to be in the photo (my husband is one of those people).  Some people love having their 15 nano-seconds of fame.  

[nobodyyoucare]

 

hahaha really??? We have the whole "no shoes, no shirt, no service" signs around here but I don't think I've seen "no sweaty bras or shoes" signs. Not saying it's a bad idea, I just think it's funny they have to have signs for it

There is a trend with criminals predominately from the hood areas in my town demanding their victims strip. Sounds like they want to make sure people aren't hiding cash in their shoes or bras. I have also seen women with dollar bills stapled to their clothing and then pull out the stapled money to pay for things. 

Edited February 22, 2015 by nobodyyoucare

[starri]

While the fuller description certainly makes it more palatable, that "up to" is the catch. Could be 100%, could be 0% or anything in between. So while it could be philanthropy, if the matched amount is an extremely low percentage or none at all, it could be a job with an enforced savings plan -- which is still better than no job at all.

Now that I'm thinking about it, it reminds me a lot of John Oliver's rant about the extremely fuzzy math Miss America uses to declare themselves the largest provider of scholarships for women.  

[Kel Varnsen]

Also, little miss Lumi apparently went back to kick starter. I used to get emails was bored and went to look and see what happened. She raised 268,000+ on a 50,000 campaign. Lotta suckers out there if ya ask me.

I am surprised she bothered going back to kickstarter. You would think that with the kind of exposure she would think she would get by being on Shark Tank, her sales would shoot up and she wouldn't need a kickstarter campaign. 

 

I am kind of glad she stood her ground on the loan though. It seemed like a crappy deal, especially since she said she could get those kind of terms on her own without giving up equity. I also wish the rules of the didn't allow loans, since it seems like it is a way to cheat the rules. I mean I know the rules are "you must get at least what you ask for or you get nothing", but being able to receive that money as a loan, with interest that you must pay back (even if your business tanks) seems like a way to cheat and allow the sharks to buy companies that are going to make money, but have terrible valuations. 

[Guest]

I have a SpiBelt for carrying a phone and small necessities while walking my dogs.  It's designed for running and a phone doesn't flop around.  A FlipBelt is another good option.  I would never consider storing items in my arm pits.  Though when I use a Fitbit I often slide it between the layers of fabric many sports-type bras have, where the removable foam pads go.  But that's tiny and the gadget is in front, in the center, and doesn't need pulled out at all.  

[nobodyyoucare]

Lumi only did two kickstarters one in 2010 and one in 2012. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lumi/lumi-co-a-new-textile-printing-technology?ref=nav_search 

[Skittl1321]

I'm suprised no one expressed a problem with the name of the sports bra with zippers. Maybe I'm a prude, but I wouldn't buy it on name alone.  It just sounds trashy.  Which is probably how Fanny Pack sounds to British people who use the word differently.

[atir]

I can't recall the name of the zippered bra, but I was taken aback by the name of another product. I don't remember when it was on but it was called "ruffle butts." Jeesch. Cute product (ruffles sewn onto tights or leggings for wee ones & toddlers). But I couldn't get past the name. When I was growing up,"butts" was a curse word. Of course, this was back in the 50's when no one said "butts" or "shut up."

I wish the product name had been ruffle buns. I'd have bought several for my granddaughter.

[nobodyyoucare]

So there were no butchers in the 1950s who sold Pork Butt? Nor were there any archers, carpenters? Nor wine or beer barrel makers? 

[portia7]

Pork butt is a cut of meat. Ironically, it's the shoulder. Plus it's delicious. However, it has no reference to a toddler's tochus.

[Meushell]

The other problem with the bra-phoneholder-whateverholder is that phones are getting BIG again. It's not 15 years ago when phones kept getting smaller and smaller. Now people have 5" screens (or bigger, don't get me started on phablets), the better to watch the streamin's with. I am not and have never been the type of person to go clubbing, so clearly I'm not the target audience, but I think an iPhone 4 would be clunky in that pocket, let alone the newer phones. No thank you. I can barely get my phone to fit in a pants pocket since I replaced it. No tiny hidden pocket will work, other than maybe for just ID+credit card.

Less of an issue with well endowed women, but it sounds like the bra doesn't comes in a big enough size. I also agree with those who point out the lousy zipper placement.