SpiritCape, an idea conceived in Austin, TX
This guest blog article is by Daja Gegen.
For Thomas Marriott and Will Kelleher, co-founders of SpiritCape, there are two rules: always be caping and always be hustling. For a couple guys who just smashed their Kickstarter goal by 55%, took a crew of ambassadors to the Winter X-Games where their capes were rocked around Aspen, and have a ton of product options in the pipeline (not to mention almost 300 new orders to fill), these two rules could be one in the same. But “caping,” a term trademarked by the guys, is more of a lifestyle than a verb. It’s about positive energy, living life fully and “just good vibes.”
“More often than not, it’s the simplest concepts that become the best ideas,” said Marriott, SpiritCape’s CEO. It happened by accident, but he’s now in the business of creating wearable flags that allow “capers” to showcase their allegiance to their school, state (the Texas flag cape is coming soon), or most popularly, The United States of America. “I think Jobs had it right. Creativity is just connecting things.”
Caping Up
In August 2013, Marriott, Kelleher and their friend Jonathan Ho took a homemade stitched American flag hooded cape to the Cazette concert, which garnered instant attention and led the guys to believe they may be on to something. The next weekend, they took a few capes to the Texas football tailgate (specifically, as part of Burnt Orange Tailgating, a YouTube series produced by the University Co-Op, where Kelleher is Promotions Manager).
“On my drive to campus, I was filled with anticipation and second-guesses,” said Marriott. “No more than 60 seconds after parking, fully capedup of course, some students barreling down Guad in a big-ass truck hammered the brakes, swerved across the no-turn, and hopped-up on the curb to ask where I had gotten it. Before I could even make-up a price they had their wallets out. They bought two for $85 each (we currently sell them for $55). We went from concept, to prototype, to limited run, to revenue in 16 days.”
Kickstarter Success
Very quickly, the duo needed to figure out their business priorities.
“What we have tried to do is integrate our mission and execution in a way that our values are simply the way we do business — operating through the lens of humanity,” said Marriott.
“Among these was proving we could conceive, design, and manufacture a product in America that is profitable and both environmentally and socially conscious. To a near obsessive level, we worked every component of our product, and every step of our supply-chain to the point of origin for accountability, quality, and cost. The result is employing Americans at 15 companies in 6 states, craftsmanship that will carry the product for years, sustainable and highly recyclable packaging, a scrap-rate under 1%, and supporting the EOD Warrior Foundation. And we’re just starting up.”
Coupled with direct sales and a strong social media presence, the team launched a Kickstarter campaign in February 2014, with the goal of raising $12,500. Contributors had the opportunity to scoop up the American cape, the college cape of their choice, or both, depending on donation level, at 20% off with car decals thrown in, and the opportunity to be immortalized on SpiritCape.com as one of the first backers. The campaign wrapped up last week with $19,404 pledged by 247 backers.
From State Capes to the World Cup
In addition to fulfilling orders, next up for the crew is the debut of their state capes. They’re working with Texas Humor to roll out the Texas SpiritCape on txhumor.com in the next few weeks, and amping up ambassador crews at universities across the country, a model that has proven successful here at UT.
After that? The world, literally, is their oyster. Potentially, officially sanctioned gear for universities, pro sports (“Not much innovation has occurred in merchandise for sports fans and we’re going to disrupt it with an alternative to the fan jersey,” said Marriott), and the Rio de Janeiro World Cup this summer.
Texas Designed – American Made
Marriott credits Austin for SpiritCape’s quick rise to materiality and increasing popularity.
“Austin’s entertainment venues have been essential for testing and refining. I’m not convinced we could have started this anywhere else,” he told me.
“I think my trip to New York Fashion Week paints the best picture: with Austin’s reputation preceding it all over the world, it was almost a natural expectation from designers and media alike that our quirky product was born here.”
A Greater Good
SpiritCape has chosen to donate a portion of the proceeds of every American and American Crop cape sold to the EOD Warrior Foundation, benefiting military veterans in the Explosive Ordnance Disposal field.
Giving back, you could say, is just good vibes.
To echo Marriott, “That’s one small step for a man, capedup for all mankind.”
Follow SpiritCape on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and watch them cape at the Winter X-Games 2014. If you’re interested in joining the crew as an ambassador, e-mail
cr**@sp********.com
.
Daja Gegen is an Austin transplant from Las Vegas who is currently incurring a complicated identity struggle between life-long health nut and newfound queso addict. Follow her on Twitter at @dajaelise.
@dajaelise asks:
What do you think of the SpiritCape concept?
All photos courtesy of Thomas Marriott at SpiritCape.
I think this idea was definately not their original concept as it has been sold off an Etsy shop for many years since they started the kickstarter campaign. Is that not copyright infringement?
rechercheclothing.etsy.com has been making these since 2011