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Fundamentally showing that everyman can design, Springleap is more than just South Africa’s answer to Threadless. It’s a socially conscious drive to return the power back to the consumer and, moreover, revitalise the South African textiles industry.
“We offer artists, designers and people with something to say, the opportunity to be publicly showcased. Call us a gallery without walls if you like, but what better way to get known than to have your designs emblazoned on a T-shirt?” co-founder Eran Eyal tries to sum it up.
Yet, Threadless offers this easy-access fame too, so what distinguishing factor can explain Springleap’s exponential growth over its barely nine-month existence? Eyal and partner Eric Edelstein put it down to a number of factors – having fine-tuned the project for over a year before going live, the R20 000 prize package for each month’s winner, the R500 prize for each month’s most active commentator, the Cape Town working environment that aspires to Google HQ, the personalisation of knowing who designed your T-shirt, and the growing demand for recurring symbols of South African culture.
Indeed, it is this last factor that probably has the most resonance: Springleap is geographically situated in South Africa – unlike Threadless whose international reach renders it beyond national borders. Trend forecasters are calling this phenomenon “roots and wings” – while the world is becoming more and more globalised, and consumers shop across country borders in search of supreme quality, there is simultaneously a nostalgia and glorification of aesthetics that embody “home” and “local”.
Springleap is the perfect example of “roots and wings”. Offering international standards in terms of online communication, production and concept, it is nonetheless thoroughly South African. All the online development, T-shirt cotton and production, staff and prizes are proudly Mzansi. Most of the designs are, too – although there are no restrictions on nationality when it comes to the designers and social network. If you see another person wearing a Springleap T-shirt, you are both immediately part of the same club of roots. And, South Africans can walk into Markham, Big Blue and eSquared, and pick up a T-shirt.
See, this is probably Springleap’s second secret to success: They’re thinking bigger than the T-shirt. Besides the standard online T-shirt-design competition with a social network of voters, Springleap is also creating bespoke competitions and partnerships with brick-and-mortar companies such as Markham and the KZNSA Gallery, as well as celebrities including Louise Carver. Besides, T-shirts are just the beginning – the Springleap team has its heart set on eventually bringing out a complete product range.
Want to get in on the action? Submit designs, vote on entries and generally have fun at www.springleap.com.
Fundamentally showing that everyman can design, Springleap is more than just South Africa’s answer to Threadless. It’s a socially conscious drive to return the power back to the consumer and, moreover, revitalise the South African textiles industry.
“We offer artists, designers and people with something to say, the opportunity to be publicly showcased. Call us a gallery without walls if you like, but what better way to get known than to have your designs emblazoned on a T-shirt?” co-founder Eran Eyal tries to sum it up.
Yet, Threadless offers this easy-access fame too, so what distinguishing factor can explain Springleap’s exponential growth over its barely nine-month existence? Eyal and partner Eric Edelstein put it down to a number of factors – having fine-tuned the project for over a year before going live, the R20 000 prize package for each month’s winner, the R500 prize for each month’s most active commentator, the Cape Town working environment that aspires to Google HQ, the personalisation of knowing who designed your T-shirt, and the growing demand for recurring symbols of South African culture.
Indeed, it is this last factor that probably has the most resonance: Springleap is geographically situated in South Africa – unlike Threadless whose international reach renders it beyond national borders. Trend forecasters are calling this phenomenon “roots and wings” – while the world is becoming more and more globalised, and consumers shop across country borders in search of supreme quality, there is simultaneously a nostalgia and glorification of aesthetics that embody “home” and “local”.
Springleap is the perfect example of “roots and wings”. Offering international standards in terms of online communication, production and concept, it is nonetheless thoroughly South African. All the online development, T-shirt cotton and production, staff and prizes are proudly Mzansi. Most of the designs are, too – although there are no restrictions on nationality when it comes to the designers and social network. If you see another person wearing a Springleap T-shirt, you are both immediately part of the same club of roots. And, South Africans can walk into Markham, Big Blue and eSquared, and pick up a T-shirt.
See, this is probably Springleap’s second secret to success: They’re thinking bigger than the T-shirt. Besides the standard online T-shirt-design competition with a social network of voters, Springleap is also creating bespoke competitions and partnerships with brick-and-mortar companies such as Markham and the KZNSA Gallery, as well as celebrities including Louise Carver. Besides, T-shirts are just the beginning – the Springleap team has its heart set on eventually bringing out a complete product range.
Want to get in on the action? Submit designs, vote on entries and generally have fun at www.springleap.com.
To view designs by Springleap visit our online shop.
