Avz designs

[Red apple]

Hello fellow hubbers

I am 15 years old and I want to start a sock company. I have a few designs in mind but I am always open to new suggestions. With the money I make I want to buy myself a new bike. 
 

So what I want to know from you is 

How much are you willing to pay for a pair of socks?

What would you like to have on them?

Thanks AVZ Designs

 

[Steady Spin]

Get some cool designs and have Sox or Versus do the manufacturing. 

You will be competing against then for the same socks in terms of fabric and fit so I suggest you get those designs on point. 

Retail price will be the same as what they sell for to be competitive. Little bit more if your designs are unique and in demand. 

How do you plan on selling these? Online or approach stores to retail?

[The Ouzo]

What Steady said.

Good sports sox are not just about the graphic, but also the design and materials used. The likes of Versus etc. have done research into this (at least thats what they make you believe).

 

However if you're just selling socks with cool graphics and not pitching them at the sporting world then its a different ball game.

[Spinnekop]

I am a bit of a sock slut............something "cheap" to buy and color up your next ride........

I might have two containers full of socks..............😆

Design / graphics is 20%
Material is 80%.

ASG/Ftech had good designs and good materials.
Then they got sloppy.....started making socks smaller and they did not last that long anymore.

Versus are too thick for me and the material too warm

Socks are good.  But the sets you get "free" with your race goody bags etc, tend to sag or wear out quickly.  
Their "HTFU technology" socks are good.  Last long.  Nice length and tend to be not too warm.

Best socks I own are MB Wear:  https://wearmb.com/en/
Hell of a lot expensive but after 10 years I still have 4 pairs that lasts.  Nice thin.  Good material.  Cool.  

[MBwear]

Thanks @Spinnekopfor this feedback.

MBwear works everyday on research and development to offer the real best sock to all sports customers. 

It is true, we are not the cheapest... but there is a true reason. Each yarn and fiber we use is selected and on each sock we produce we put our 45 years know how (cause we are also private label manufatcurer).

Socks market is not easy now cause during last years many new "brands" was born and this have created a bit of confusion on customers. Many products offer and all of them say "quality" even if the reality is different.

I can only tell you: do not trust on advertising. Try different socks, feel the difference and then decide which one can be your best brand

Edited January 4, 2023 by MBwear

[Red apple]

6 hours ago, Steady Spin said:

Get some cool designs and have Sox or Versus do the manufacturing. 

You will be competing against then for the same socks in terms of fabric and fit so I suggest you get those designs on point. 

Retail price will be the same as what they sell for to be competitive. Little bit more if your designs are unique and in demand. 

How do you plan on selling these? Online or approach stores to retail?

Thanks for the feedback 

I will be selling them on instagram and then later try to get them into retail stores maybe small bike shops and so on

[Chadvdw67]

3 hours ago, Spinnekop said:

I am a bit of a sock slut............something "cheap" to buy and color up your next ride........

I might have two containers full of socks..............😆

Design / graphics is 20%
Material is 80%.

ASG/Ftech had good designs and good materials.
Then they got sloppy.....started making socks smaller and they did not last that long anymore.

Versus are too thick for me and the material too warm

Socks are good.  But the sets you get "free" with your race goody bags etc, tend to sag or wear out quickly.  
Their "HTFU technology" socks are good.  Last long.  Nice length and tend to be not too warm.

Best socks I own are MB Wear:  https://wearmb.com/en/
Hell of a lot expensive but after 10 years I still have 4 pairs that lasts.  Nice thin.  Good material.  Cool.  

At R320 a pair, plus the hassle of having to import them and the crazy customs duties that also needs to be added to the price, I hope they put themselves on your feet, take themselves off and wash themselves as well before the next use

[Zebra]

I wonder if there is not an easier route, to make something useful/quality for local cycling, rather than socks? Or do you have ACCESS to sock-making?
 

Reason I say this is the following:

1. I know of no pre-existing ‘gap’ in the market, thought there may well be one, but price and /or quality and design/fit is always sought after -will your socks have a USP?

2. Wearables need to be SIZED, whereas a non-wearable ‘accessory’ is a bit MORE one-size-works-for all (broad brush strokes, I know). For socks, you would theoretically need minimum 4 sizes; 2 Male, 2 Female; female socks are rather different to male socks…

3. then adding in a few different designs, some that will sell, some that will likely ‘sit’, your inventory ‘width’ can ramp up very, very quickly.

4. You may well have easy access to affordable sock-making technology, that would be a definite plus.

5. Good luck! I am in a lightly-similar industry (motorcycle clothing and accessories), and we find keeping size-and color-breaks MUCH more work than say stocking a Silver crash bar, and one Black crash bar, finish and Klaar! YMMV.

(meaning if you make a ‘widget’ a bicycle shop can stock 1 or 2 or 3, whereas socks will require OUTLAY, to carry a size-break, a male-female break, and then different patterns, etc)

But good luck, fascinated to watch your progress!
Cheers

Chris

 

Edited January 4, 2023 by Zebra

[Zebra]

On 1/3/2023 at 6:27 PM, Red apple said:

Hello fellow hubbers

I am 15 years old and I want to start a (sock) DESIGN company, the first product of which will be socks! I have a few designs in mind but I am always open to new suggestions. With the money I make I want to buy myself a new bike. 
 

So what I want to know from you is 

How much are you willing to pay for a pair of socks?

What would you like to have on them?

Thanks AVZ Designs

 

Fixed it for you. 😉

[Red apple]

12 hours ago, Zebra said:

I wonder if there is not an easier route, to make something useful/quality for local cycling, rather than socks? Or do you have ACCESS to sock-making?
 

Reason I say this is the following:

1. I know of no pre-existing ‘gap’ in the market, thought there may well be one, but price and /or quality and design/fit is always sought after -will your socks have a USP?

2. Wearables need to be SIZED, whereas a non-wearable ‘accessory’ is a bit MORE one-size-works-for all (broad brush strokes, I know). For socks, you would theoretically need minimum 4 sizes; 2 Male, 2 Female; female socks are rather different to male socks…

3. then adding in a few different designs, some that will sell, some that will likely ‘sit’, your inventory ‘width’ can ramp up very, very quickly.

4. You may well have easy access to affordable sock-making technology, that would be a definite plus.

5. Good luck! I am in a lightly-similar industry (motorcycle clothing and accessories), and we find keeping size-and color-breaks MUCH more work than say stocking a Silver crash bar, and one Black crash bar, finish and Klaar! YMMV.

(meaning if you make a ‘widget’ a bicycle shop can stock 1 or 2 or 3, whereas socks will require OUTLAY, to carry a size-break, a male-female break, and then different patterns, etc)

But good luck, fascinated to watch your progress!
Cheers

Chris

 

Hi thanks for your reply

I don't have access to a sock printing machine. So that will probably spike up prices. 
 

The other thing I was thinking about is maybe doing printed waterbottles they are way easier to manufacture. They are unisex. There aren't alot of competitors. (Only about 2 that I know of that does designs on them) 

[Zebra]

1 hour ago, Red apple said:

Hi thanks for your reply

I don't have access to a sock printing machine. So that will probably spike up prices. 
 

The other thing I was thinking about is maybe doing printed water bottles they are way easier to manufacture. They are unisex. There aren't a lot of competitors. (Only about 2 that I know of that does designs on them) 

I like your thinking about the water bottles - or another item, that is not 'sized' in a size-break; that will be easier, and even IF you have two different sizes, that is simpler that a clothing-type line.

Maybe consider ASKING on the Hub what locally-manufacturable item is in short supply, or what people cannot find, and consider that?

But yes, your water bottle idea might be solid - I feel like there are DOZENS to choose from out there, but that may not be the case!

Cheers

Chris