How a Startup Plans to Make the Perfect Pair of Jeans
Qcut wants to make sad dressing room visits a thing of the past.
Credit:
Products are chosen independently by our editors. Purchases made through our links may earn us a commission.
Whether you're a man or a woman, you can probably agree that finding the right pair of jeans is anything but easy. The waist fits well, but the legs are too baggy. Or the calves are perfect, but the thighs are way too loose. Personally, it usually takes me at least a couple trips to the dressing room. And online ordering? Forget it.
Well, a startup called Qcut has taken to Kickstarter to try to solve this universal dilemma. To get the ball rolling, it's starting with straight-cut women's jeans for gals who typically wear sizes 0 to 18.
But here's the cool part: In order to ensure a perfect fit for all women, it's making 400 different micro-sizes.
To figure out the unique fit that each buyer needs, the company is asking women everywhere to submit their own measurements, including height, weight, bra and shoe size, and the size of their favorite pair of jeans.
Qcut will also ask women to detail the issues they face when they try on jeans. The company will then use the collected data to create an algorithm that can predict the perfect size for every woman.
The $75,000 of Kickstarter funding will go toward making jeans right here in the U.S., as well as hiring a data scientist to create the necessary algorithm. The company has already raised over $50,000, and has until Dec. 3 to meet its goal. An ambitious stretch goal of $500,000 would allow Qcut to build a factory of its very own.
Right now, you can reserve a pair of jeans by pledging $110 to the campaign. That's just a little more than half of the retail price, which Qcut expects to be under $200. If that price seems steep, the company is eager to remind you that custom-made jeans typically cost around $700. The idea is that Qcut will be able to offer lower prices by producing jeans on-demand and selling them straight the consumer.
If you have reservations about ponying up for jeans sight-unseen, the company promises it will recalculate your size and make you a new pair if the first try doesn't fit quite right. Qcut even encourages you to wash your jeans during the 30-day trial period to make sure they fit perfectly. Shipping and returns are free in the U.S., too.
Plus-sized women—and men in general—are out of luck for the moment. Beasley writes that the company plans to add plus-sizes after the initial run, but has no plans to make jeans for men any time soon.
Via: Fast Company Hero Image: Flickr user "paintballphotos" (CC BY 2.0)