The following SMART 100 profile and the information it contains is a duplication of content submitted by the applicant during the entry process. As a function of entry, applicants were required to declare that all details are factually correct, do not infringe on another’s intellectual property and are not unlawful, threatening, defamatory, invasive of privacy, obscene, or otherwise objectionable. Some profiles have been edited for reasons of space and clarity. More about the SMART 100.
This innovation initially came to life when…
I was 24 and doing a program called Slingshot, which helps young people in the West realise a business. I noticed that there was very little available for Muslim women and the scarf they were wearing was always held in place by pins. I wanted to create something comfortable and without any pins.
WHAT & HOW
The purpose of this innovation is to…
The product helps women cover up without adding the hassle of pins in their headgear.
It does this by…
Using internal seaming, cap and hooks to allow the scarf to be held in place without the need of pins.
PURPOSE & BENEFITS
This innovation improves on what came before because…
It offers young Muslim women something modern and ‘street’ without compromising their beliefs.
Its various benefits to the customer/end-user include…
The main benefits are: Flexibility, Breathing ability, Design, The cool factor.
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
In the past, this problem was solved by…
Although there may be some similar products, they are not designed by women for women. In order to understand how to wear a hijab, a large percentage of heat expended comes from the head; there has to be a cooling mechanism built into the headscarf, not covering the ears and adding fabric that will stay cool in summer, warm in winter.
Its predecessors/competitors include…
Currently the products on offer are supplied by overseas manufacturers and imported by businesses that are not focused on the design, functionality and trend aspect of the products; it is more what is popular overseas that matters.
TARGET MARKET
It is made for…
The target customer is between the ages of 18-35 and lives mainly in the northern and western suburbs. Their fashion choices are mainly influenced by friends, magazines and brands; however very few of the surveyed customers are influenced by street wear. Our target customers shop mainly close to home and in their local shopping centers, 75%. 16% shop in the CBD and only 8% shop in Islamic stores.
DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY
It is available for sale through…
A niche market, Muslim women’s wear, concentrating on the wholesale/retail side of the industry. Online shop will be a way to reach customers that cannot travel to our retail locations. We’ll stock our products in select retail stores.
Our marketing strategy is to…
Online Strategy -Facebook, fan page and target adverts to users -Twitter -LinkedIn -Disqus to manage forums and aggregate comments -YouTube account to upload videos -Google Adwords Offline Strategy – Crescent News – Islamic Directory – Word of Mouth – Fliers – Posters at Universities – Fashion Shows – Retail Space – Advertising in the local papers
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS INNOVATION
While the judging is now officially over, you can still show your support for this innovation in one of the following three ways:
- Hit the VOTE UP button: Top left of each page (Not available for IE users)
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- Leave a Comment: Share the love!
To check out the Anthill SMART 100 Readers’ Choice winner for 2010, click here.
