Blended Fibers: Support and Market Positioning
There’s nothing that gets an internet babywearing forum jiving like the prospect of a new silk wrap. Or a hemp wrap. Or a linen. Or a wool. Blended fibers are the wrap du jour!
We’ve talked before about how creating interest in a brand translates to clever marketing on the part of a wrap or carrier manufacturer. That’s certainly the case here, but there’s more to this than marketing. Blended fiber wraps are also about market positioning.
It’s a fact generally acknowledged that some blends are more supportive than others. It’s a fact little discussed, however, that the tag of “supportiveness” is a powerful marketing tool. Certain wrap brands are considered to be very supportive (this is an independent blog and we try not name names very often, but Hopp and Storchenwiege are two that come to mind). Didymos cotton wraps are not often considered as supportive as the previous two brands, however, their blended fiber wraps are often recommended on those terms. The introduction of blended fibers into the Didymos stable has resulted in a decisive change in attitude towards the brand. When asked to recommend a wrap on the basis of support, the answer now includes a recognition of the Didymos brand. This translates to more sales in a new (niche) corner of the (niche) wrap market.
Other wrap manufacturers, however, are following suit and weaving wraps with blends of silk, hemp and even bamboo. Some of these will be considered supportive, others will have qualities that will give them their own recognition. But by decisively leading the way on blended fibers, Didymos has the edge in the market.
Hold onto that trigger finger (and your credit card balance). There’s more fun coming our way!
How do you feel about blended fibers? Are they the wrap du jour for you? Or do you think they’re over-rated when compared to their cotton counterparts? Leave a comment, enquiring credit cards want to know!
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One response so far
As a retailer, I’ve noticed that the two biggest factors in customers carrier choice are back support, and then price. People will happily pay a high price for a carrier that has a reputation for providing the best support. But for brands that are less familiar, price comes into play too. So a carrier that is made using a luxe or supportive fabric also needs to be priced lower than the better-known brand names. Hence another reason for blends: blending an expensive fibre (like silk) with a cheaper fibre (like organic cotton) gives some of the expensive fibre benefits but at a more affordable price. Blending fibres like bamboo with cotton also adds durability, while still having a softer feel than 100% cotton.
Mind you, I don’t run a shop for the niche of the niche market. Most of my customers have never heard of specific wrap brands, or that a specific fibre is more supportive. But they are interested in the pretty sheen on silk, the eco benefits of organic cotton and hemp, and the novelty of bamboo.