Cocoonu

Vanessa Streeton, founder of CocoonU features in the October Issue of Woman and Home. Here’s the article for our online followers

“I WANTED BEAUTIFUL CASHMERE PRODUCTS

THAT WERE TOTALLY ETHICAL”

Old Job : Business Development Consultant

New Job : Founder of CocoonU (cocoonu.com), which sells ethical and eco cashmere and skin-care products

“I first heard about Mongolian cashmere from a boyfriend, who has seen it on his travels and suggested i do something with it

I did some research and discovered that 70% of the world’s cashmere comes from China, where goats are artifically fed, living on top of each other and turning the land into dust bowls. In Mongolia, however, herders move the goats to different pastures every few weeks, while the extreme winters create the fine cashmere on the goat’s belly.

I emailed the director of the factory in Mongolia and, when he came to meet me, i felt the cashmere and was smitten. It was infinitely softer than the mass-produced stuff. And, as the factory workers work eight hours a day and have equal pay, i saw a niche market for brining in an ethical, sustainable yet beautiful product that people would feel good about buying.

So i designed some jumpers, a polo and a v-neck – based on a classic jumper i had in my wardrobe, with a few added touches – and sent them to the factory. I then paid a web company to set up an ecommerce website on which to sell them. They sold really well, but i realised you need a massive outlay to sell sized products, so i focused on accessories, such as shawls, scarves, hats and socks instead. Then i designed a home collection of cushion covers and throws.

I thought that my throws and shawls would make the perfect corporate gifts, so i made a list of yachting, motor and private aviation companies, along with top hotels and high end shops, to target. Six months after i started, i won a contract to be a gift supplier for a private jet-hire company. We supply everything from golf sweaters to shawls, and they buy scarves and hats for private skiing and shooting events they run.

I also work with Quintessentially, a high-end concierge service. If one of their clients needs a gift for someone, we’re one of the companies they call. We are also in their Living coffee table book, which goes out to spas, hotels and homes across the world. I met their sales and marketing director at a party – so these things do happen!

We’ve just won a contract with George Smith, the high-end furniture company, and have just launched CocoonU for George Smith – a range of cushion covers and sofa throws that will be sold in their stores worldwide. The New York launch is next month, which is very exciting.

I was on the cusp of a £1.8 million deal with a luxury car company. But, a weekbefore Christmas, they cancelled due to the recession. Still, i have to pat myself on the back for getting that far.

In the next month few months we are launching organic skin-care products, plus a range of floppy beanie hats, hug scarves and ski gloves aimed at a younger market. We’ll also be opening our first shop in Harrogate, as i want people to come in and feel and smell how wonderful our products are.

I haven’t taken out loans, as i plough my earning back into the company, and have only just started to pay myself. Our turnover is increasing, though, so i’ll soon earn what i used to. I have two part time staff: one deals with finance, the other with marketing and trade shows, plus two consultants, who deal with my website and online marketing.

Staying with the luxury industry saved my company. If i’d gone mainstream, i would have gone bust because of high-street retailers selling cashmere jumpers for £20. But i love my job and i love that i’m selling something that’s unique and ethical too”

Thanks to Woman and Home for our feature.

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CocoonU are creating a brand in the current recession. CocoonU are unique, high quality and our products have a fanstasic story. We are sending a true mesaage to the consumer about ingredients and products. These products can only be bought via CocoonU, making it an individual product as well as a feel good product.

Ask yourself, how many people know where their products come from? answers on a blog