Super Strong and Stylish. All in one cable for IOS and Micro USB. One cable for every Smartphone, Tablet and Device.
This project will only be funded if at least $6,500 is pledged by .
Super Strong and Stylish. All in one cable for IOS and Micro USB.
One cable for every Smartphone, Tablet and Device.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thatcherstyle/thatcher-kable-one-cable-all-devices
The Kable is an idea that has captivated us here at Thatcher for some time. How to make the most mundane, boring accessory that EVERYONE has, into something interesting, fun, with massive connectivity and to be proud of?
But, how would you do that? How could we do that? I mean it’s just a cable right?
We wanted to make more than just a charging cable for devices. We set out in early 2016 with all these thoughts running wild in our heads, thinking of how can we change this. We all have that desire to replace our ratty, dirty broken cables that came from the box of the phone we bought 2 years ago. But with what? Another white or black cable that will get dirty and break just as easy? Or perhaps a gas station cable that may very well be 2 meters long and light up, but breaks after a few days. Not great options really.
After some long, thoughtful evenings we found a solution. We found that the two most fashionable and desirable materials, in terms of clothing and accessories, were denim and leather. This may seem obvious, but you can't really make a reliable strong cable that works, out of anything. These two materials just so happened to also be great insulators for the wire on the inside, and also meshed well with the heads of the cable at each end. Problem solved right? Not yet.
That wasn't the only issue with modern cables. Style is only half the issue. Connectivity is the other.
Sure, having a sexy cable is all good and well, but, we wanted Kable not only to just to look and feel great, but to be incredibly functional too. We needed a cable head that made it possible to charge both IOS devices and Micro USB devices. A cable to work reliably and not get those 'non compatibility' messages and be safe for all devices. We had already sourced a special group of manufacturers that would work to produce and source our special design and materials for the denim, leather and wire. Things were at this stage, almost ready to go. This is when we got lucky. We studied the two types of cable head and found the dimensions of both were more or less exactly the same. The charging and data pins on the IOS head were on the outside while the pins for the Micro USB were on the inside of the head. The shape was also very similar between the two, which proved it would be possible. We mocked up some designs with the help of our manufactures, ran the idea past some local electrical engineers and then began testing the head. After some alterations, mold fees, language barriers and a lot of patience and coffee, we had some working prototypes and a factory that would make it! Yay! All put together our supply and manufacturing chain poured out some prototypes and here we are, presenting to you now.
Thatcher: Kable Super Strong and Stylish. All in one cable for IOS and Micro USB. One cable for every Smartphone, Tablet and Device you own.
No more, dirty, broken or ratty cables. No more scrambling to find the right charger for the right device, no more worrying if the cable will break.
Charge almost ANY IOS or Micro USB device from the same cable.
Make you look great.
Last 3 - 4 times longer than a standard cable.
Be 5 times stronger than a standard cable.
Actually work!
Break from everyday or extreme use.
Go ratty, fray, or get dirty.
Because we have not yet tested these cable on “Quick Chargers” we advise against using Kable with them.
Aaaannd....that's about all it can't do.
KABLE can be used with any standard USB charging socket. Be that a laptop, computer, power bank, wall socket or power plug. As long as it is the standard of 5v 2.1 A, KABLE is happy!
Using Kable is super simple. Place the connector head into the device with the 'Micro USB' head UP! For all devices!
If you're using an IOS device, insert Kable with the Micro USB side up as then 8 pin connector is on the under side, as you can see in the GIF
If you're using an a Micro USB device, insert Kable the same way, with the Micro USB side up, as you can see here:
Length: 110 cm (43 Inches)
Inside Material: Copper wire encased in a thermoplastic elastomer wire casing. (Whats inside the Leather or Denim Kable.
December 2016 - Got tired of using crappy cables and started the brand. This is when we began to work out what we wanted to do, how to do it, what type of brand we wanted to create and what problems it would solve for people and the image we wanted to portray.
January 2016 - We began working on the Thatcher Kable. We bought a few alternatives to the normal cables we all use to see what we liked about the competition and what we didn't. We decided on the length and the cable properties, then began researching materials.
February 2016 - We received samples from many material suppliers, inspected each for qualities such as touch, appearance and strength, not to mention their safety and insulation properties. This is when we decided that the denim and leather materials were the best options for what we wanted in the first Thatcher Kable. We locked down two suppliers to cut, treat and supply us with the materials.
Late February 2016 - This is when we began trying to source manufacturers for the cable and ends. We needed to find one that would be both happy to work within our designs and materials, as well as within the protocols of Apple IOS and other Micro USB devices. There are company requirements to consider so that it will work with as many devices as possible.
March 2016 - We decided on a cable manufacturer that ticked all our boxes. This was when we decided that we should make Kable even better by adding the double sided end. We had originally thought to bring out a cable for each, so the idea of universal connector was a stroke of design genius. We started talking to some experts and our suppliers to hear their thoughts, and began drafting up some designs.
April 2016 - We continued to work with our suppliers and some local engineers to work out the best way to go about the double sided cable ends, and finally arrived at a design that worked and that our supplier too was happy with.
May 2016 - This was the month of the prototypes. We started testing not only the product itself, but all aspects of the supply and manufacture chain. There were a few creases to iron out but we managed to tie all ends together and make it a smooth process, which resulted in our full prototypes. We continued to test the product itself in as many circumstances as we could to see how it would fare. We found a further few small areas that needed improvement, but soon enough we arrived at a stage we were happy with after a few more prototypes.
June 2016 - We began to discuss how to launch our new Kable and plan our future business development and further possible products. We began to brainstorm and invent new and exiting possibilities where we can grow the brand. We planned how to grow Kable and Thatcher but we needed a good solid platform to launch it. That's when we decided on Kickstarter.
July 2016 - We began to write and collect media for the campaign. We worked with a small group of photographers and designers to create what would be our Kickstarter campaign page, social media pages and website.
August 2016 - Launch! We have now launched our Kickstarter campaign, website and social pages! We are continuing to grow our customer base and promote Kable.
September 2016 - The end of the campaign. We will be collecting funds, addresses and preparing for our very first main order of Kable's - your pledges!
October 2016 - Manufacturing. This will be when we link all our suppliers again to manufacture the first order of Kable's
November 2016 - Processing and postage. We will be using November to process and post your pledges to you. Making sure that we do it right and do it well.
December 2016 - Receive your pledges in time for the Holidays! We are aiming, and will do our very best to get you your pledges by the middle of December so you can give Kable as a gift if you want!
January 2017 and Onward - We will now be sourcing distribution networks to get our Kable into stores around the world. We will also be offering it on our website and other online stores and will be looking to expand our brand with more exciting products!
We worked closely with our wire and cable manufacturer in China to develop the double ended cable. Through testing here at our office and lab and testing at the factory we were both able to develop a product that not only works, but is also long lasting.
After working on the basic sketches we moved on to to talks with the factory to assist in developing the double sided head.
We needed to make sure that both the double sided end and the copper cable, would not only be safe and reliable, but also device friendly for the largest number of devices. Voltage tests, impedance tests, strength tests and data tests were conducted, to ensure that the cable would be the best it can be. After some time, some re-designs, materials changes we arrived at the current 'Kable' design. We were lucky that the factory was keen to assist us with some of the testing that we were unable to undertake on our own, which helped us cut down on cost, which ultimately helped us create a better product in 'Kable'.
Disclaimer: Please use Kable with caution. It carries electricity and misuse and damage to the cable can cause damage to you and/or your devices. So please be careful if your Kable does get damaged (unlikely, but just incase!). Thatcher and any related persons or groups are not liable in anyway for any loss or damage to your belongings, property, surfaces or self when using Kable, whether direct, indirect, special, incidental or coincidental. Returns: Should you receive your Kable in less than perfect condition, you may contact us for a free replacement, where we will have to make sure the issue arose from manufacturing faults and not from misuse. We will happily work with all of our Kickstarter backers to resolve any and all issues that they have, should any arise. However, Since this is a crowdfunding campaign and we are offering Kable as a pre-order in the form of a reward for your financial contribution rather than as a retail item, we do not have a return policy, we cannot give returns or refunds due to change of mind, misuse, damaged items due to misuse or damage to products used with Kable or any other reason other than your Kable arriving in a condition that will prevent you from using it. We believe that none of our customers will have issues with KABLE, but we are here to help at the best of our ability should you need any support at all! Addresses: We will need our backer to supply their addresses by the cut off date that we will supply at the end of the campaign. We will need backers to supply these addresses accurately, in English, and in a standard postage format. If our backers are moving or anticipating a move within 6 weeks from the date we specify that we will be posting the pledges, we ask that you either supply the new address, or supply an alternative address of a friend or family member. We at Thatcher will not be liable for returned mail and will ask that the backer pays the postage fee again if they wish to receive a pledge that has been returned to us. Backers who provide illegible addresses, addresses not in English or provide their address details after our specified cut off date may have the pledge delivered late due to extra processing time needed.
We believe we have already dealt with the main Risks and Challenges associated with running this project. We have confidence in the suppliers and manufacturers ability to provide our design in a good time and to our specifications without issue. We are also happy in our ability to fulfil and organise our backers and their pledges to ensure an on time delivery.
Lets do this!
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