How masters from Kharkov earned the love of Americans and the Burning Man festival

Once in my grandfather's garage, Dmitry Bragin found a bunch of unnecessary things: from auto parts to broken toys. Of these, he made the first panel on the wall in the form of a motorcycle. Thus began an unusual hobby, which later became a family business under the brand. Dmitriy Bragin-Art Creative - production of masks and notebooks from recycled materials. Revision MC Today asked Bragin, where they are looking for customers, how they distribute duties and how they struggle, so that the Chinese do not copy their products.

Photo: Facebook Dmitriy Bragin-Art Creative

Masks began to make out of curiosity

In 2013, Dmitry Alexander's wife persuaded her husband to turn a hobby into a business. Because of the crisis in the trade, where Dmitry worked, he had to look for another source of income. And notebooks and masks from broken parts were already in demand. Bragin decided to risk and open a business.

This is how the brand Dmitriy Bragin-Art Creative appeared, among whose clients are musicians, illusionists, visitors to the Burning Man festival, designers and just supporters of steampunk culture.

“When I watched a video on the Internet, as souvenirs are being made from recyclables, I was inspired and made the first panel in the form of a motorcycle. I liked it, and I thought what else I can do, ”says Dmitry.

Then a man made a mask out of curiosity. He put the product in social networks and people began to be interested, to make orders.

Photo: Facebook Dmitriy Bragin-Art Creative

Friends and relatives of creative entrepreneurs supported the idea, began to bring unnecessary details, which later became elements of products.

“We did not ask anyone for money. They asked only to give a broken printer, an alarm clock, a toy. Everyone was just happy: we can bring garbage, and we will do something beautiful. ”

Masks from Bragin began to be in demand, especially among Russians. The products were even ordered to Tambov for the musical “Circus of Fate” - the entire ballet danced in masks from Kharkiv citizens.

US market instead of Russia

The most difficult year for the Bragin business was 2014, when they stopped working with Russia and had not yet learned how to sell to the Western market.

“It was difficult for us, it was necessary to build some kind of marketing strategy, to study a new market. We knew which category of clients we had in Russia, and we were not sure that the same would happen, for example, in America, ”says Dmitry Alexander’s wife.

The problem was solved with the help of the American platform for hand-made Etsy, where Alexandra used to sell her felted products.

“While we have developed a marketing strategy, we realized that people mostly come from social networks. Etsy use more to complete the transaction, payment, ”says Alexander Bragin.

Since 90% of customers are from abroad, entrepreneurs had to take care of two things - the delivery and payment mechanism. In order to avoid problems with delivery, Bragin send “Ukrposhta” product on the day of order. Express delivery is expensive. Often its price may exceed the cost of a souvenir.

Photo: Facebook Dmitriy Bragin-Art Creative

The issue of payment is decided through an intermediary Seller-online. The company no longer works with Ukrainian intermediaries - they have a lower commission, but the speed of payment processing leaves much to be desired.

Spouses shared responsibility in business quickly - Dmitry is responsible for the creative process and placement on foreign platforms, and Alexander is responsible for accounting and logistics. From time to time, as she says, performs ancillary work.

How much is the mask of garbage

The cost of materials for the mask does not exceed 100 UAH, and the finished product can be sold for $ 60-140. A large mask with a height of 1,2 meters cost a thousand dollars to a client from Poland.

“The hardest thing was to find the basis for such a mask. We were offered in Kharkiv to make it for $ 2 thousand, while they planned to sell the finished mask for a thousand dollars. But it was interesting for us to make such a project and it was an advertising move for a business, ”says Dmitry Bragin.

Almost all parts of products are obtained from recycled materials. For masks buy only a plastic base.

“I never draw sketches and never know what the end result will be. I choose some key details, and I’m building everything else around them, ”says Dmitry about the creative process.

Despite the fact that each product is performed in one copy and Bragin remembers each of their work, it came as a surprise to them when they saw their products on AliExpres, and then on Amazon and E-Bay.

Photo: Facebook Dmitriy Bragin-Art Creative

Chinese copy masks

It turned out that one customer from America ordered the masks, and, obviously, copied them. So, with the help of copyright products from Kharkov, the Chinese began their business of copying products.

“We found copy masks on various sites and started writing to the support service. We asked for patents. But we have no documents to confirm copyright - only screenshots of sites. Some goods moderators seized. But this is international law, and so far we do not know how to protect ourselves, ”says Alexandra.

The Ukrainian market, according to entrepreneurs, is not yet ready for their products. Although there are cases when even Kharkov citizens ordered products on the American platform, not suspecting that the goods are made by fellow countrymen.

Steampunk culture is interested in youth. Often, this is an insolvent category. In America, even grandparents who love themed parties buy masks to create the image of an “iron man”.

Photo: Facebook Dmitriy Bragin-Art Creative

Bragin's regular customers were visitors to the popular international festival of independent art, Burning Man.

"These are people" in the subject. " An ordinary person who sees our products for the first time does not understand why this is and why it costs so much. This is due to the cultural characteristics of Ukraine. Steampunk culture is closer to Americans and the British, ”Alexandra explains.

In the plans of creative entrepreneurs from Kharkov - to expand the range and geography of customers, but to keep in each product exclusivity.

“I, of course, would launch mass production, I want it for a long time. But Dima is against, he wants to maintain exclusivity, although the Chinese still copy us, ”- tells about Alexander's plans.

Photo: Facebook Dmitriy Bragin-Art Creative

Photo: Facebook Dmitriy Bragin-Art Creative

Photo: Facebook Dmitriy Bragin-Art Creative

Photo: Facebook Dmitriy Bragin-Art Creative

Photo: Facebook Dmitriy Bragin-Art Creative

Photo: Facebook Dmitriy Bragin-Art Creative

Photo: Facebook Dmitriy Bragin-Art Creative

Photo: Facebook Dmitriy Bragin-Art Creative

Photo: Facebook Dmitriy Bragin-Art Creative

Photo: Facebook Dmitriy Bragin-Art Creative

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