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  1. #1
    Senior Member GT's Avatar
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    So whats the BIG deal about Cottage industry here?

    I mean. They don't employ anyone. Who knows if they are even legal?
    And what about insurance? OMG! When I mentioned to my insurance co. that I wanted to make camping hammocks, You would have thunk I said that I wanted to make nuclear missiles. OMG! A bunch of drunken campers falling out of their hammocks wanting to collect a check for the rest of their lives!
    And what about returns? Or just bad workmanship? Or even, where will they be tomorrow?
    Just wondering what the big deal is about a cottage provider.

  2. #2
    Senior Member Cali's Avatar
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    They are one of us, they do excellent work, they care about what we think of their gear after the sale, they go out of their way to make it right, they are super nice and courteous, and they are selling stuff that was thought up by the great folks on this site and made into exactly what we need to hang fast, simply and comfortably. I hope I didn't forget anything, it's early.
    "No whining in the woods"

  3. #3
    Senior Member lazy river road's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LostinSpace View Post
    I mean. They don't employ anyone. Who knows if they are even legal?
    And what about insurance? OMG! When I mentioned to my insurance co. that I wanted to make camping hammocks, You would have thunk I said that I wanted to make nuclear missiles. OMG! A bunch of drunken campers falling out of their hammocks wanting to collect a check for the rest of their lives!
    And what about returns? Or just bad workmanship? Or even, where will they be tomorrow?
    Just wondering what the big deal is about a cottage provider.

    posted before I thought, I apologize, Sending A PM instead.
    Last edited by lazy river road; 06-08-2012 at 07:35.
    Sometimes I like to hike and think, And sometimes I just like to hike.

    Hiking is'ent about waiting for the storm to pass its about learning to hike in the rain.

  4. #4
    Senior Member MAD777's Avatar
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    They are a throwback to the past. (That's a GOOD thing.)
    What I mean is that they are like the pioneers that built the USA into what it is today. They are not afraid to follow their passion, not afraid to take a chance. They are honest craftsman who take pride in their work.

    Can you imagine a world full of nothing but people like that?
    Mike
    "Life is a Project!"

  5. #5
    Senior Member exup's Avatar
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    I second LRR with a WOW. Our cottage industry is US! Not GM. Paying someone a very low wage to work their life away for a useless cause. In our "industry", its the cottage people who make the quality gear. Just like the mom and pop ice cream shop in a small town. They must sell a great product and have great customer service because they are held accountable. If one person has a bad experience, it could ruin warbonnet for example. If one person has a bad experience with eno, you probably won't even find a number to contact them. And who cares anyway? They sell a ton of hammocks.
    All the non cottage companys I have experienced sell low quality, plain, not so useful hammocks made without the users needs in mind from lower quality fabric in a large factory in china, most likely by kids like yours and mine. Every single cottage company I've worked with, have made a product for ME. I have spoke with everyone personelly, some of which I happily call my friends.

    I won't go in detail, but Adam of hammock gear, before even meeting me, did what I consider to be the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. This man has also driven hours to hand deliver quilts to someone so they can enjoy their trip. That's the cottage difference.

    And most these companys have employees. Support people just like you. Especially in todays economy.

  6. #6
    Senior Member TZBrown's Avatar
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    Most all of the new innovations that have been picked up by some of the more commercial manufacturers were started by either the cottage industries filling a needed niche market, or individuals who were "thinking outside of the box".

    HH did not offer side entry zippers, until after they saw a lot of mods being done by a entrepreneur from HF.

    Quilts have gotten a lot lighter since the small buisness man started to care about what individuals wanted.

    Whoopie slings were never brought to the market until they were were thought up, or an allready proven principal was applied to what we needed and wanted for hammock suspensions

    There are way to many examples to list

    As the small buisness grows they do employ more folks as they cannot keep up with demand on their own.

    Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Steve Jobs, were all cottage industries once
    Life's A Journey
    It's not to arrive safely at the grave in a well preserved body,
    But rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting,
    Woo Hoo!....What a Ride!

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  7. #7
    Senior Member Darby's Avatar
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    Here is some info on a early cottage vendor.

    Cheers, Dale
    Beer won't solve problems, but then again, neither will milk !
    Designer of the Switchback Hammock
    Tree to Tree Trail Gear:http://tttrailgear.com

  8. #8
    Every business starts somewhere. Apple computers was once a cottage industry building machines in a garage. Buying from one is an investment in support of ingenuity, creativity, and innovation - not to mention supporting someone's dream. That alone is reason enough for me to support them. Saying they don't employ anyone is absolutely wrong. They each employ at least one person. And who knows, maybe ten years form now they will employ 20.

    I am new to this forum but frequent several other forums where there are cottage manufacturers. Every one that I have dealt with has been a conscientious, hard working person. Not saying they all are, but in this day it is hard for someone who is dishonest to get traction. Information spreads too fast online. They have a very vested interest in the satisfaction of their customer. I would say more so that a larger manufacturer.

    It is also great to be able to post to a forum with a question and have the inventor of the thing answer you. It's not second hand info, it's not from some sales clerk who may or may not know what they are talking about.

    In the immortal words of Brian Dennehy in Tommy Boy: "A guarantee is only as good as the man who makes it." I like knowing more about the person making the guarantee.
    RAT PACK #1009

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by LostinSpace View Post
    I mean. They don't employ anyone. Who knows if they are even legal?
    And what about insurance? OMG! When I mentioned to my insurance co. that I wanted to make camping hammocks, You would have thunk I said that I wanted to make nuclear missiles. OMG! A bunch of drunken campers falling out of their hammocks wanting to collect a check for the rest of their lives!
    And what about returns? Or just bad workmanship? Or even, where will they be tomorrow?
    Just wondering what the big deal is about a cottage provider.
    I guess maybe only you can say what you are looking for in a vendor. You make a point about insurability and risk, that might be the very thing I find admirable in our cottage vendors, that they are taking a risk to innovate and develope. They say Hewlett Packard started in a garage.


    I wish you well finding your big deal.

    David

  10. #10
    Senior Member GT's Avatar
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    Okay, So what if your cottage built hammock does fail and you occur a life long injury? Who will you turn to then?

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