Founded Outdoors publishes ‘Concept to Creation’ blog series for aspiring manufacturers

September 28, 2023

For those looking to turn an outdoor product dream into reality, Founded Outdoors is publishing a free three-part blog series: “From Concept to Creation: A Guide to Successful Product Development for Outdoor Apparel and Soft Goods.”

SEPTEMBER 28, 2023/OUTDOOR SPORTSWIRE/ – For those looking to turn an outdoor product dream into reality, Founded Outdoors is publishing a free three-part blog series: “From Concept to Creation: A Guide to Successful Product Development for Outdoor Apparel and Soft Goods.”

Founded Outdoors is the national platform for outdoor entrepreneurs, and recently partnered with the Michigan Outdoor Recreation Industry Office and Pure Michigan Business Connect (PMBC) in a year-long program to educate and connect entrepreneurs with the state’s product design and scaled manufacturing opportunities.

The blog series is an outcome of that partnership, and summarizes the findings from a recent “Idea to Production Workshop” led by Karen Buscemi of Detroit Sewn and Lionel Vargas Cruz of the Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center.

“We created the ‘Idea to Production’ guide because we frequently hear the same questions from aspiring founders about how and where to get their great new product made. By detailing a well-thought-out process that encompasses everything from understanding competitors and pricing to getting referrals to trusted manufacturers, we’re hoping to ease and speed the process of turning a concept into a product reality,” said Enhao Li, Founded Outdoors director of curriculum.

The Founded Outdoors community includes over 400 outdoor entrepreneurs at different stages across product categories and is supported with ongoing knowledge-sharing, peer support, resource databases, and topical workshops and events.

Their “Concept to Creation” series is being published on LinkedIn and will also be available through the Founded Outdoor open resource library: a collection specifically curated for outdoor entrepreneurs, including new original content, recordings of previous Founded Outdoors workshops, and a repository of other company-building resources.

Part one of the “Concept to Creation” series summarizes the steps of the product development process, part two focuses on the creation of a manufacturing tech pack, and the upcoming part three dives into strategies for finding a manufacturing partner.

While this “Concept to Creation” series specifically focuses on outdoor apparel and soft goods, Founded Outdoors will be building guides for additional product categories in the future based on requests from their community members.

ABOUT MICHIGAN: For more than 100 years, Michigan has been the place where innovation meets the outdoors. From inventing the modern snowboard and synthetic fly line, to designing the iconic Ford Bronco and the world’s first “all-electric adventure vehicle” at Rivian, Michigan has always been the place to design, develop, and deliver the tools and gear of the great outdoors. As the outdoor industry continues to evolve and address new challenges, including sustainability, diversity and inclusion, Michigan remains – as it has always been – the place where the outdoors is invented, and reinvented. Michigan’s Outdoor Recreation economy contributed $10.8 Billion in value-add in 2021, supporting nearly 110,00 jobs and $4.7 billion in compensation to employee households. Nearly 6,000 of Michigan’s Outdoor Recreation jobs are in outdoor recreation-related manufacturing, including boating, RV and gear manufacturing. For more information on the Michigan Outdoor Recreation Industry Office please go HERE. For more information on Pure Michigan Business Connect (PMBC) please go HERE.

ABOUT FOUNDED OUTDOORS: Launched in 2021, Founded Outdoors supports emerging businesses nationwide through community, programming and connections, with the goal of increasing access in the outdoor industry as well as in outdoor places. The Founded Outdoors community includes over 400 outdoor entrepreneurs at different stages across product categories and is supported with ongoing knowledge-sharing, peer support, resource databases, and topical workshops and events. Founded Outdoors programming includes business accelerator initiatives and fundraising pitch events; and partnerships with organizations including REI Co-op Path Ahead Ventures and the Michigan Outdoor Recreation Industry Office. To learn more about Founded Outdoors, please go LINK. To become a member of the Founded Outdoors community please go LINK.

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