Berlin, 19 August 2014 – From now, design fans can preorder a handcrafted wallet from the new collection of KANCHA on www.startnext.de. After the startup had launched the first Kyrgyz design sleeves for laptops, tablets and smartphones in summer 2013, co-founder Tobias Gerhard now invites everyone into the unknown Kyrgyzstan via crowdfunding: “every wallet is hand-signed by one of the craftspeople, which allows you to learn more about the person and story behind the product on our website. If you want more, I recommend the full nomad experience as a reward in our crowdfunding campaign: for 3,000 EUR we will arrange a visit to the Kyrgyz highlands with real nomads!”
What makes KANCHA products special?
All KANCHA products are crafted from local felt and leather in the mountains of Central Asia. The startup ensures functional and esthetic products for its clients and decent working conditions for its craftspeople. On the interactive website (www.kancha.de), clients can learn more about the supply chain and get in touch with the maker of their product.
Who is behind the design?
The current collection of wallets was developed by Berlin-based product designer Jonas Görtz in collaboration with the leather-master Artur Sedrakian in Bishkek. KANCHA makes modern and minimalistic design, combined with the traditional crafts of Kyrgyzstan.
What happened so far?
In the summer of 2013, the German-Kyrgyz team collected 15,000 EUR via crowdfunding for the first collection if gadget sleeves. In the meantime, they have introduced new sleeve designers, involved more craftspeople into the production in Kyrgyzstan and started selling their products both in their own online- store and through retailers in Europe and Central Asia.
