April '13 Issue - DIG Magazine

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DROP GOODS GIVING BACK ONE BRACELET AT A TIME BY JOSH ESqUEDA AND AmY PATTON PHOTOS BY JONATHAN CASTILLO Headquartered in a Cal State Long Beach dorm room, DropGoods founders Jordan Seggman and Salam Zahour try to make the world a better place, one bracelet at a time. Junior fashion merchandise major Seggman works with business partner Zahour to hand-produce the colorful cotton bracelets. They donate more than 30 percent of the profits to charity programs. Proudly wearing the original prototype 8 bracelet he hand-sewed, Seggman’s eyes come to life as he describes his company. “It’s my baby,” he said. Fueled by his own ambition and maxed out credit cards, he started the company from the ground up. Inspired by companies like TOMS shoes, Seggman continues to nurture the brand almost a year after starting the company in 2012. “I am a young man with a passion for fashion, as well as a heart to give back,” Seggman said. Seggman started the brand in order to send a positive message out into the fashion industry. When creating the name, he knew he wanted the name to give off a good vibe before people even knew what the brand was about. He chose the word “good” because commercially it would allow him to expand further than wristbands. “Drop”
One hundred limited edition bracelets are hand-sewn every month to raise money for different charities. was already a word he was fond of using in his previous brands and he liked the way it sounded. After pages and pages of brainstorming, a brand was born. Relaunching this month, DropGoods will no longer write a charitable check to an anonymous organization in need. Instead, each month will focus on a new bracelet and a new story. At the beginning of each month, Seggman and Zahour will select a specific person or group in need and create a video to share their story. Seggman felt that sending off a check at the end of each month was too much of a cop out; he wasn’t seeing the effects of his hard work. He wanted a way to show customers what their money was going towards and “hopefully inspire random acts of kindness in them.” After selling the first batch of bracelets in his first month, Seggman chose three different organizations to donate to: Gem, Matthew 25 Ministries and an organization dedicated to breast cancer. “I chose where to donate based on what I have a passion for,” he said. Because his grandmother and several close friends have battled breast cancer, this was a charity that he felt strongly about. But he didn’t feel like it was enough and he wanted to do more and get more involved with the people he was helping. When Seggman first launched DropGoods on his own in last December, he sold 60 bracelets in the first two weeks. Originally a business major, designing a bracelet was no easy task for Seggman. It took 36 different designs before he could find one he was happy with. “It was pretty hilarious,” he said, describing some of the first designs. He partnered up with Zahour after selling his first batch. Zahour was a customer and was impressed with the product. Having business experience as a manager at clothing brand, Active, Zahour gave Seggman advice through email for weeks before they both decided to officially partner up. Seggman and Zahour produce 100 bracelets of single design at the beginning of each month. Bracelets are sold through the official DropGoods website until they run out. Once a bracelet design is gone, it will not be brought back ever again. This way the bracelets are limited edition. Seggman came up with the idea of selling limited edition bracelets because a lot of the brands he admires often do this too. “I want the bracelet to be something you can be proud of,” he said. He explained that making each bracelet design limited allows them to stand out. When choosing a design for the bracelets, Seggman goes for abstract patterns. He gets inspiration from popular trends, like animal and Native American prints. Once he finds a print he likes, he buys two yards of the fabric and makes as many bracelets from it as possible. Seggman initially created a Craigslist ad to find someone to produce large batches of bracelets at one time. Gayle from Ontario answered the ad and produced the first batch for the company’s December launch, but had to quit due to other employment. Zahour’s connections with Active allowed DropGoods to partner with the Active production company, and the bracelets are now produced in Los Angeles. Seggman wants to continue to grow and develop DropGoods after graduation. He eventually wants to get his products into stores, or even open a wristband shop where customers can create their own custom bracelets. Big on social media, Seggman and Zahour utilize their Facebook page to reach out to customers on the Web. They currently have about 1,400 followers and are still growing. Friends and family alike have been supportive of Seggman’s vision. Junior communications major Ben Brickey has known Seggman for two years and has witnessed DropGoods develop from the beginning stages. “Jordan not only has a very creative mind, but he is also an amazing friend,” Brickey said. “And from day one he has had a passion to help people. He knows his calling is through fashion, and he will find a way to help people with that calling.” Seggman uses the classic stork image to represent his brand. 9
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April '13 Issue - DIG Magazine

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