A customizable jacket in a modular system — that’s what the four founders of Tozy The founders knew each other from their studies, are friends, and the idea for the customizable jacket was born out of an accident. Founder Jasmin answers our 7 questions.
1. Who are you and what do you do?
We're Tozy – and we've developed a very unique jacket. Our team consists of Jaqueline Schaupp (22), Dominik Hirschberg (21), Maximilian Eberl (28), and me, Jasmin Kraus (22). Compared to other startups in Munich's startup scene, our average age puts us on the younger side of the team.
An accident preceded the birth of Tozy
It all started with a scooter accident I had in the spring of 2016. Although I was spared the fall, the sleeve of my new white jacket ripped at the elbow, leaving only shreds. Unhappy about the loss of my favorite jacket from Italy, I told Jaqui about it.
At first, we just joked about how nice it would be to be able to simply replace the sleeve of my jacket and save it from the trash. But gradually, the idea of interchangeable components took root. We began to flesh it out and tested it with an initial prototype.
This was the birth of Tozy – a jacket that is adaptable to different occasions, changing trends and fluctuating weather.
2. But that's been around for a long time!
We have to say no! There's currently no other jacket on the market that can be customized by the customer even after the point of sale. Our jacket is characterized by a high degree of customization, which our customers can perform themselves at any time and again thanks to various fastening systems.
Creative customers can express themselves
This allows customers to unleash their creativity and continually adapt smaller design elements of the jacket, such as the collar, shoulder and sleeve tabs, and buttons, to suit different situations and trends. Gold buttons to match gold jewelry or leather sleeves because leather is currently fashionable? By simply purchasing and replacing components, this is no longer a dream with Tozy!
3. What are the three main ingredients for your recipe for success?
- The good distribution of our skills within the team. This allowed us to clarify the allocation of tasks in just a few minutes, allowing everyone to bring out their best. Because everyone takes on exactly the area they're good at and enjoy.
- The high quality of our product, which is achieved through complete production and manufacturing in Europe. This strengthens the economies of European countries and generates a promising competitive advantage focused on 'Made in Europe'.
- Our innovative customizable jacket combines two major global trends – sustainability and customizability. Their importance will continue to grow in the future, and with it, interest in our product.
Sustainable and customizable — and coming soon to Kickstarter
4. Let’s get down to business: How is business going?
Market launch and the production of the first large-scale series are still pending. We recently successfully completed product development. A Kickstarter campaign is scheduled for the end of this year and will also serve as a pre-order campaign. After delivery of the pre-ordered jackets, we will launch our own online shop in early 2018. Already, in the pre-market phase, we have received several inquiries about purchasing newly manufactured pieces from the collection.
5. What does Munich mean to you?
'Simply Munich' – Munich is our home. We love the rural, idyllic flair that Munich has still retained. Despite its size, Munich has remained a green oasis, full of peace and quiet in many places.
Entrepreneurial Spirit
Munich has also become important to us as a hub for startup centers. The many networking events connect founders and those interested in starting a business. New startups are often born as a result. Munich's entrepreneurial spirit, further enhanced by various university programs, makes the startup scene characterized by mutual support.
6. How will your startup become the next unicorn? Or will we see you soon at Epic Fail Night?
If we're honest, we're not actually striving to become the next unicorn. We see all this unicorn hype as a mere marketing gimmick that will only last a short time.
We, on the other hand, want to become a dynamic and innovative company that places great value on quality over quantity. Therefore, we focus primarily on a single product. With our concept, we want to shape and transform the fashion industry with sustainability and individuality in the long term.
7. Pork knuckle or fish on a stick?
Definitely pork knuckles!
