Today we’d like to introduce you to Aram Razouki.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
The DRESSFRESH story started out in Canada during 2015. We developed an appliance that could refresh previously worn clothing. The idea came from the need for an easy way to wear clothes multiple times, without having to launder or dry clean them after each use. We noticed most clothing was not dirty after one wear and could be refreshed and worn again. Excessive cleaning also ruined items quicker. This was a better and more sustainable way for us to clean. We conducted market research and developed a better process capable of delivering results on a wider range of items. In 2017, we secured an investment deal in San Diego to work with manufacturing and marketing partners here. I moved my company down from Canada and we setup an office in Chula Vista.
During my first year in San Diego, I started working out at CrossFit Invictus. We shared our vision with them for convenient cleaning and learned the best way to introduce this technology was to integrate it into a duffel bag for the gym, sports, and travel. We have just completed developing our flagship product, the NOVO Duffel Bag, with our built-in refreshing system. A user simply places their items inside, zips up the bag, and starts a cycle from our smartphone app. The automated process kills germs and eliminates odors on previously worn clothing, shoes, sports gear, and other items that may need refreshing, using no water and no chemicals. We are currently preparing for production and our Kickstarter campaign launch to begin taking preorders.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been a very challenging journey and I’ve faced many obstacles along the way that have pushed me as an individual, but also as an entrepreneur. Each day, I wear multiple hats while working on DRESSFRESH and with the various people involved in our business. The biggest challenge I have faced personally over the past three years has been the delays with development of our product. We work with people from many different countries. Dealing with another culture and understanding how to effectively communicate with them is no easy task. I was sometimes faced with big language barriers and had to learn new methods for translating my ideas into effective and constructive feedback. I also faced some challenges personally with moving to San Diego and adjusting to a new country and city. It has been very exciting and filled with many experiences.
They say all great things take time, and I believe that is true. I am always striving to learn and push myself to become better. It takes a lot of determination and perseverance to keep going as an entrepreneur. This was a challenging product to design and engineer for us. It took many long nights and weekends to solve the problems we were faced with. I am lucky to have so many great people in my life who kept me going.
We’d love to hear more about the business.
DRESSFRESH is developing smart refresh tech. Our company is here to change the way we care for and maintain clothing, shoes, and sports gear. We believe the time has come for more sustainable cleaning practices. This technology was created to keep your gear fresh between uses, without the need for any water or chemicals. We wanted to give people a convenient way to refresh their gear and protect themselves from germs. Our NOVO Duffel Bag aims to deliver on this vision by giving people the ability to quick clean many different items.
Our product uses patent-pending advanced ionization technology to kill germs and eliminate odors on previously worn items, allowing you to use them again comfortably. The system charges the air inside to create ionized oxygen that kills germs and odors at the microbial level. Most people do not have time to clean their gear after each use, which can lead to nasty odors developing on them from germ growth. This smart bag can refresh a workout outfit in as little as half an hour using our built-in system and scented filter cartridges.
Our current cleaning habits are not sustainable and have a big impact on the planet. A lot of the water on Earth has been contaminated by micro pollution from cleaning. The water and chemicals needed to clean and sanitize clothing alone is huge because of our laundry practices. Excessive washing also prematurely degrades clothing, leading to microfiber waste. Today, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the need for technology that can quickly and effectively sanitize items from daily use is only growing. We give people more sustainable cleaning practices that can still deliver on their needs to keep them clean, safe, and fresh.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
There have been many great moments during the past five years of my career. The proudest was being interviewed by CBC Canada this summer on live radio and talking about DRESSFRESH. Another great moment was when we shared our product for the first time with the team at CrossFit Invictus last summer. We demonstrated how the technology works, cleaning stinky shoes, sleeves, and wraps for their athletes. Everyone was very excited about our product.
Pricing:
- $299 preorder price for the NOVO Duffel Bag
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dressfresh.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dressfreshtech
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dressfreshtech
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/dressfreshtech
Image Credit:
Brooke Ziegler Photography. Models Bryce Smith and Brittany Weiss
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