Success Story: Kamo Krew

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Meet two women that ‘jumped in with both feet’ and have been swimming ever since!  Seven years ago, Bruderheim women Wendy Nuthack and Doris Morrison attended a neighborhood clothing party, and walked away saying, “We can certainly make these children’s clothes in a better quality and more cost-effective”. The common interest these two mothers had, was their children were hard to fit into standard sized clothing.

The following week they made a trip to Edmonton, purchased fabric and went to work on their prospective sewing machine “relics” and turned out kids clothing that fit their children.

Other moms in the community liked the look, quality and price so well, Wendy and Doris began to custom sew. Between home clothing parties, and local farmer’s markets, these ladies began to see the start of a hobby with excellent business potential.

“Custom sewing was a royal headache and not time effective,” Doris said. Wendy got on the telephone and began contacting fabric representatives. Unfortunately, they weren’t taken seriously. “It was like pulling hens teeth, the reps thought we were crafters and wouldn’t sell to us”. Finally they did connect with a fabric wholesaler that did take them seriously, and they bought their first five meter length of fabric.

Today, this company buys 50 to 100 meters of a particular print, from several manufacturers. Four of each size (from 3 months to 12 years) is cut in a variety of  different prints, and fabrics. As the stock is depleted, the print that was sold, is re-cut to maintain the required inventory.

The pajamas, sweat suits, short sets, skort sets, polyester fleece jackets, and all season clothing were selling well. When the women decided to incorporate hats and caps, they found their aged equipment lacking.

They sought out the Lamont-Two Hills Business Development Corporation (BDC) which is funded in part by Western Diversification (WD). The partners decided it was time to invest in two industrial sergers, which would penetrate heavier fabrics and retain the standard of quality in a shorter time. Wendy and Doris work out of their prospective  homes.

Business was on the increase, as the women expanded their radius of gift, craft shows, and trade shows. In 1997 these business women participated in 30 various shows. “We arranged our marketing outlets to be not over three hours in an direction away from home,” Wendy explained.

During one of their trips to Lloydminster, these entrepreneurs spoke to a local sporting goods shop owner who was complaining there was no camouflage clothing for children. The sport shop owner gave them $750 to design and product these specialty clothes. The issue of safety would be addressed by sewing camouflage kids clothing, but so could these clothes  be worn daily as practical wear.

In June 1996, Kamo Krew Ltd. emerged with two camouflage print styles. Bruderheim Fashion and Kamo Krew Ltd. began by sharing a third of a 10’ x 10’ foot display  space. By this time, marketing had extended into additional shows, such as the annul Butter Dome  Craft fair, the Calgary Festival of Crafts, and the Alberta Gift Show. The business was switching into high gear, and the home-based mentality was definitely beginning to look like big business.

In November, 1996, after a successful road trip, the mini-van wasn’t to be unpacked because it was Calgary bound in a couple of days. The following afternoon, fire consumed the garage, and everything in it. The stocked mini-van, the summer inventory stored in the garage - everything went up in smoke, and there was no insurance on the inventory!

This was an emotional cross road for these gifted, aggressive and imaginative business women. “Was it time to stop after all, $20,000 to $30,000 worth of stock was destroyed,” questioned the business women.  Was a higher power telling them sometime? Those were the questions they faced.

They made up their minds. Even though emotions were high, ten days later, they attended a show in Red Deer. “For eight days prior to the show we sewed and sewed. It was a very difficult show to do, but we packed Doris’s little car to the roof, rented display apparatus, (ours had also been destroyed in the fire), and attended the show. This show really helped us move on,” Wendy described.

December 31, 1996, saw them back at the BDC applying for funding to purchase a Wells Cargo 12 foot utility trailer which Wendy had custom designed to accommodate the efficiency and convenience needed to transport their inventory. Today, these two companies are packed and ready to go in a moments notice. The specially designed trailer can be hooked up to a towing vehicle and on the road immediately.

Upon researching exporting products at the Business Link, January, 1998 was another turning point in the career of these women. They took Kamo Krew to the SHOT (Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade) Show in Los Vegas. As Canadian manufacturers of kids clothing, laws hindered any possibility of direct selling their products. They could only show samples. They did manage to take some orders but a most important door was open to them. “For months I’d be phoning fabric manufacturers in the States, practically begging them to sell us mill fabrics. The SHOT Show had mills approaching our display, encouraging us, and helping us sort out the licensing requirements to buy directly from the U.S.,” Wendy said.

Back to the BDC they went, to secure the necessary funds they would require to offer their customers a variety of up-to date trademark prints, at fair prices.

“Business owners who plan ahead and do market research, have less surprises. Wendy and Doris appear to be making all the right moves, by always investigating the next step”, Bernice Sambor General Manager, Lamont-Two Hills Business Development Corporation commented.

Today, Wendy is constantly looking to ways to accommodate clients across the border. Americans love the Canadian quality of the kids camouflage clothing. “Manufacturers of adult clothing are always coming in with new camouflage prints, and parents that include their children in the sport, enjoy having their kids dressed the same. The market is never ending. Unfortunately the export barriers are very difficult to work through. “The information  on exporting textiles is very difficult to access by the average person,” comments a frustrated Wendy.

Kamo Krew Ltd. is presently importing fabrics and exporting finished products to the U.S., and Canadian orders are increasing steadily. “We use fabrics such as cottons, twills, knits, polyester, cotton/poly blends, polyester fleece, and fleece”.

Finished products include Cargo pants, jackets, vests, shorts, T-Shirts, sweat suits, drape hats, tear-away pants, fanny pacs, shirt/vest sets, everything is washable, and the line is constantly expanding. They are exporting to Haines, Alaska, and shipping as far as Prince Edward Island.

The business women are at another cross road:  To expand manufacturing, marketing, and exporting. Their products are in demand, and they must decide whether they will take that exciting leap.

By the way, Wendy and Doris, have the finest insurance money can buy!

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