It's a funny old business setting up a brand from a standing start. With no prior experience in manufacturing or retail (other than being an avid personal consumer of robes and swim products), we often find ourselves feeling around in the dark,
Before starting on this journey, we had never really given much thought to how companies allocate a price to a product. Finger in the air? How much are the other guys charging? Turns out, it is a bit more of an exact science.
When we started SplashRobes we were unwavering on two things; they must be made from recycled materials and they must have magnets. The former is a no brainer in this day and age and any responsible company should be looking to sustainable manufacturing processes. We all have a responsibility to lesson the impact of the production on our environment. To that end, we found (through much trial and error) the absolute best guys out there who specialise in manufacturing with recycled materials and we are super proud to have our SplashRobes made by them. As a result of their recycled processes, each SplashRobe prevents approximately 50 plastic bottles ending up in landfill or the ocean.
The second non-negotiable was the magnets. Much to the disbelief of our manufacturers, we really did want quite that many magnets sewn in - despite the prohibitive cost.
We could not be happier with the quality of our robes. But there's no denying, they are not cheap to make. Our subsequent margins are so slight that we have been turned down for financial backing before on the basis that there is not enough profit in it for the investors.
Should we have increased our RRP and give potential investors a bigger slice of the pie? Absolutely not. Behind the brand we are just a very normal family who are as painfully aware as the rest on the cost of living crisis and how tricky life is financially at the moment.
What makes SplashRobe unique is the all year round potential. The ability to adjust the layering to suit the weather. You are not just buying an oversized winter coat and unlike our competitors, you are not just buying one waterproof outer with a fluffy lining. You are buying two separate independent garments.
We regularly offer discount codes but now, although it's a bit of a squeeze, we have made the decision to permanently reduce our RRP to £165 (including VAT). As spring arrives and the warmer months are on the horizon, keep us in mind when other robe companies are trying to flog you a separate summer version in addition to their winter one.
Thanks for sticking with us and helping our dreams come true. Our brand genuinely comes from a place of love and practicality, not profit and we love having you along for the ride.