Highlight: Skanties Presents an Various to Conventional Shapewear

Shapewear has grow to be a serious product class for girls in recent times. However the principle choices don’t go well with each physique. In reality, there’s a rising motion of ladies on the lookout for “anti-shapewear.” And Skanties is main the cost. Be taught extra about this firm and its message on this week’s Small Enterprise Highlight.

What the Enterprise Does

Presents a line of “anti-shapewear.”

Founder Susie Taafe instructed Small Enterprise Developments, “Skanties makes a speciality of modern anti-shapewear undergarments designed for girls. Our merchandise are a singular mix of consolation, type, and performance. They’re crafted to deal with frequent points resembling panty strains, thigh chafing, and discomfort related to conventional shapewear.

“Skanties undergarments combine the flexibleness and ease of yoga pants, the softness and smoothness of nylon, and the breathability and hygiene of cotton. This mix ensures that our merchandise provide an unparalleled stage of consolation with out compromising on aesthetic enchantment. Our vary is thoughtfully designed to cater to ladies of all styles and sizes, selling a message of physique positivity and self-love.”

Enterprise Area of interest

Celebrating ladies’s our bodies, as an alternative of making an attempt to alter them.

Taafe says, “Skanties is famend for pioneering the anti-shapewear motion, an idea that distinctly units us aside from our rivals. Whereas conventional undergarment manufacturers, together with main rivals, have lengthy targeted on shaping, compressing, and altering ladies’s pure our bodies, Skanties takes a refreshingly totally different strategy. We’re recognized for celebrating and embracing the pure form of the feminine physique, not constricting it.

“Our anti-shapewear philosophy is rooted within the perception that girls ought to really feel assured and comfy in their very own pores and skin, with out the necessity for uncomfortable and restrictive clothes. This resonates deeply with our clients who’ve been eager for undergarments that prioritize consolation, well being, and self-love. Our merchandise are designed to supply the assist and protection ladies want, with out the discomfort and well being issues that always accompany conventional shapewear.”

How the Enterprise Received Began

To resolve a standard downside for girls.

Taafe explains, “Following my sudden divorce, I used to be not solely navigating the challenges of being a single mom of three but additionally looking for a enterprise enterprise that resonated with my passions. I had beforehand created a product initially for my very own use, nonetheless had by no means even thought different ladies had the identical points as me.

“Coping with points like thigh chafing and the restrictive nature of typical shapewear, I had beforehand engineered an answer for myself, combining the consolation, breathability, and performance I couldn’t discover elsewhere. It was solely after conversations with different ladies, who shared related struggles, that I noticed the business viability of my creation. These discussions unveiled a standard but not often spoken about actuality: many ladies skilled the identical emotions of discomfort and disgrace. However the subject was typically shrouded in silence.

Largest Win

Scoring a serious endorsement.

Taafe says, “The largest “win” in Skanties’ historical past was undoubtedly our breakthrough second once we transitioned from a small, area of interest model to gaining widespread recognition and acceptance. This milestone took place when a serious influencer within the physique positivity group found and endorsed our merchandise. Their real appreciation and public assist for Skanties’ consolation and ethos resonated with their huge viewers, making a ripple impact of consciousness and acceptance.

“This endorsement was not a results of a strategic advertising marketing campaign however stemmed from the influencer’s genuine expertise with our product. They shared their story of how Skanties had made a major distinction of their life, emphasizing our model’s dedication to consolation, inclusivity, and difficult conventional magnificence norms. This genuine testimony struck a chord with many, resulting in an exponential enhance in curiosity and gross sales.

“This second was monumental for Skanties. It validated our mission and proved that our anti-shapewear motion was not solely obligatory but additionally deeply resonant with a broader viewers. It marked our transition from a product-focused firm to a way of life model that champions physique positivity and self-love.”

Largest Danger

Increasing into the U.S. market.

Skanties initially launched in Australia again in 2019, however expanded to the U.S. in 2023.

Taafe provides, “This enterprise represented a major leap, each financially and strategically. The U.S. market, with its huge measurement and aggressive panorama, posed a singular set of challenges and alternatives.

“The danger concerned was multifaceted. There have been substantial monetary implications, because the enlargement required a major funding in advertising, logistics, and regulatory compliance. Moreover, there was the problem of name positioning. Skanties, whereas profitable in our preliminary market, was comparatively unknown within the U.S. And we needed to construct our repute from the bottom up in a market saturated with established rivals.

“The potential draw back of this transfer was appreciable. If the enlargement had failed, it might have led to a considerable monetary loss, doubtlessly jeopardizing the whole enterprise. It additionally carried the danger of damaging our model repute, which we had rigorously cultivated.

“Nonetheless, the choice to broaden was pushed by a perception within the universality of our model’s message and the distinctive worth proposition of our merchandise. We carried out thorough market analysis, tailor-made our advertising methods to resonate with the U.S. viewers, and established a distribution community that would effectively serve this new buyer base.

“The results of this threat has been overwhelmingly optimistic. The U.S. market has responded properly to our model ethos and merchandise, appreciating the distinctive mix of consolation, type, and empowerment that Skanties gives. This profitable enlargement not solely elevated our international footprint but additionally bolstered our model’s mission and imaginative and prescient. It was a calculated threat that paid off, propelling Skanties into a brand new part of progress and solidifying our presence within the worldwide market.”

Lesson Realized

Don’t low cost the facility of selling.

Taafe provides, “Social media and digital advertising aren’t simply instruments for promoting. They’re platforms for storytelling, group constructing, and fascinating instantly with the audience. If we had positioned a higher emphasis on these channels from the start, we might have constructed a stronger, extra engaged group round our model sooner.”

How They’d Spend an Further $100,000

Promoting and stock.

Taafe explains, “Firstly, a good portion could be invested in promoting, with a give attention to digital platforms. Given the immense potential of focused internet marketing, these funds would allow us to achieve a broader, but extra particular viewers. We might leverage social media platforms, search engines like google and yahoo, and probably even influencer partnerships to amplify our model presence. The purpose could be to not solely enhance gross sales but additionally to strengthen our model identification and message, notably in markets the place our presence is rising, just like the U.S.

“The rationale behind prioritizing promoting is twofold. Firstly, it’s a direct path to elevating model consciousness and educating potential clients concerning the distinctive worth proposition of Skanties. Secondly, efficient promoting can quickly scale buyer acquisition, which is essential for a rising model like ours.

“The remaining funds could be directed in direction of enhancing our stock. This would come with each rising the inventory of our bestsellers and increasing our product vary. Having a strong stock is essential to sustaining buyer satisfaction, particularly as we develop our market attain.”

Favourite Quote

“What would your 80-year-old self say?”

Taafe says, “It’s a exceptional device for gaining perspective and inspiring optimistic self-reflection. This quote fantastically captures the essence of knowledge that comes with age and expertise, urging us to have a look at our present conditions, challenges, or insecurities by way of the lens of our future selves.

“This attitude shift is especially related in relation to physique positivity and self-acceptance. It encourages us to rise above the fleeting societal pressures and embrace a extra forgiving and appreciative angle in direction of our our bodies. It’s about understanding that lots of the issues we fear about now, particularly relating to our look, could seem inconsequential once we look again years later. How typically do you look again at a photograph and suppose why did i fear a lot again then – I seemed stunning!

“Furthermore, this quote transcends simply physique picture. It’s a flexible mantra that may be utilized to varied facets of life, serving to us to give attention to what really issues, make choices that we received’t remorse, and cherish the current moments extra deeply. It’s about prioritizing long-term happiness and achievement over short-term discomforts or societal expectations.”

*****

Picture: Skanties, Susie Taafe

This text, “Spotlight: Skanties Offers an Alternative to Traditional Shapewear” was first revealed on Small Business Trends