INTRODUCING: Preorder (+ Why We Do It)
April 18, 2021For as long as POOLSIDE has existed, we've offered the "pre-order" option, mostly on our customizable straw beach tote bags. The "personalized" section of our website allows you to create a bespoke tote bag for yourself or a loved one!
For the first few years of POOLSIDE, we mostly offered customizable straw bags. In this early start-up phase of our business, we learned about artisan communities and production processes in countries such as Morocco and India. We were so inspired by the beautiful tradition and craft behind each woven basket. Most importantly, we saw how impactful it was to create safe working environments, and to offer education & fair trade to female artisans. This is slow fashion. Our process is different.
Therefore, we've decided to open up "pre-order" on our website, as a way for you to reserve your favorite styles each season. We are doing this for two reasons: 1) We were consistently selling out of certain styles and people were getting upset -- now you can reserve the styles you want before they officially hit the market 2) This functionality works with the flow of our overall business. Allowing more time to plan and to deliver helps us to support the weavers and artisan groups that we work with. Here's some more info:
SLOW FASHION: What is this term? Slow fashion is the prioritization of craftsmanship, sustainable materials, and ethical production coupled with the consumer's desire to purchase fewer items -- all for the purpose of benefiting the Earth. This is what we do. The products that we use come from the earth -- naturally grown products which can, in fact, be composted when you're done with them. Biodegradable with zero impact on the environment.
LIMITED QUANTITIES ON ORDER: We want to avoid any waste -- meaning that we never want to be left over with thousands of units after our selling season. Therefore, we create limited quantities of each bag style and watch how they sell. If they're selling fast, we will place a re-order which will respect both the production process (see below) as well as our desire to avoid waste and excess. Therefore, the items on our site will sell out. Preorder allows us to keep these products live on our website, even when they're currently sold out.
PRODUCTION PROCESS: Consumers are increasingly interested in how items are made, and we applaud that. While so many clothing and accessories companies can send patterns to a factory and have 10,000 units 2 weeks later -- that's just something we cannot do. We send our tech packs to our production managers in each region, and then we go into a slow sampling and production process that takes up to 120 days (approximately 3 months). As our business grows, we are able to stick to 120 days by spreading the work out into different and more weaving groups, providing more work for local artisans. Even so, we can't produce any faster.
COMMITMENT: As we've continued to grow slowly each year, we've seen the direct impact that our business has on artisan groups. In Morocco, our business led to our production manager's building a women's cooperative, with a school and a nursery for safe and efficient work. We helped her create her own manufacturing business. In India, our weaving lead was able to expand and enhance her weaving school, giving both work and skills training to women in the community. While sometimes I wish I could snap my fingers and have 1,000 bags in my possession, we feel so committed to this beautiful process and to all the women that make up our supply chain.
WHY PREORDER?: Preorder offers a few different opportunities for customers. This functionality allows you to purchase bags that are sold-out, knowing that they will arrive in the future (see: "Limited Quantities On Order" section above). In addition, we decided to launch the "Preorder" section of our website as a way for you to reserve bags from our *new* collections. By offering "Preorder," we have more insight into which bags are selling fast, which allows us to reorder. Some bags are so special and won't be reordered. Some bags take longer to make and won't be ready for the season or event that you want it. Therefore, we encourage you to take a look at "shipping windows" on each product listing, and to pre-order the items you want before it's too late!
HERE ARE SOME OF OUR FAVORITE PRE ORDER STYLES FOR HIGH SUMMER 2021:
This is our stand-out bag for summer and we're completely obsessed. If you love this style, reserve it now, because it's almost sold out.
We have always loved this bag, but we could not have predicted how quickly it would sell out. A favorite among all bloggers, as well as brides-to-be, this is the perfect little accessory for any summer outfit or outing.
Everyone told me tie dye was over -- FALSE. This marbelized tie dye will never go out of style. We cannot keep this bag in stock (available in 3 colors). This bag is extremely functional with three interior pockets for organization. It also folds flat, for easy packing in your suitcase.