Campgrnds Is Fixing The Fashion Industry’s 50 Billion Dollar Issue With Technology
“Campgrnds traces its origins to my childhood —I spent time at Martha’s Vineyard on the campgrounds, which inspired the idea. It also aptly fits our concept—people literally camp out on sidewalks for new sneaker releases. That’s the essence behind the name, Campgrnds.”
Fashion and technology have always integrated seamlessly, whether through engineering in the materials or creating experiences around garments. Amongst the companies hyperfocusing on this niche hybrid, Campgrnds stands out as a visionary endeavor. Founded by Brandon Webster, this AI-driven fashion resale platform is redefining our engagement with fashion. Unlike the ephemeral ventures often seen in the Web3 space, such as volatile tokens and speculative DeFi programs, Campgrnds focuses on substantive, innovative advancements worth investment.
ART IN HEAVEN is a fashion brand designed by Noah Joseph with NFC integrations by Campgrnds.
Campgrnds is not merely another resale platform; it distinguishes itself by leveraging a combination of AI and blockchain to streamline conversions. "What sets us apart is our tokenization approach, which provides comprehensive transparency," Webster explains. "Authenticity is paramount, so we built our business with this principle at its core." Central to Campgrnds' mission is community-building. The company aims to connect brands directly with their customers, fostering seamless and trustworthy interactions. "We sell encrypted garment tags to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to track each garment throughout its lifecycle. This approach is unique and sets us apart from other business models."
This strategy is not merely about reselling fashion items but about connecting brands directly with the people who possess their fashion. Their technology, the patent pending Omni-Channel Retail Agent, allows users to talk to their closet. "You simply tap your phone to the bluetooth garment tag"... is all it takes according to Webster. The AI is customized to sell, upsell, and resell authentic fashion for which the latter is the defining feature of Campgrnds. Among other things, OCRA can recommend products, manage claims and bids, discern preferences, and guide users through the resale process.
Founder Brandon Webster (pictured on far right on stage) at Samsung837 for Void Asylum’s NYFW 23’ Runway Show”
Founder Brandon Webster alongside fashion designer Noah Joseph at Harlem pop-up.
Founder Brandon Webster sporting #1 of 3 Campgrnds sneakers
Campgrnds' dedication to authenticity and transparency addresses a significant issue in the fashion industry: counterfeiting. "Counterfeit fashion leads to over $50 billion in lost revenues for brands annually," Webster notes. By starting at a garment's inception and collaborating directly with brands, Campgrnds ensures every item is authentic and traceable, providing peace of mind for both brands and consumers.
Moreover, Campgrnds is trying to push adoption of these nascent technologies by integrating them into familiar form factors. "AI is the bridge between physical and digital for us because AI is doing conversations increasingly well, what's lower stakes than a conversation for an established customer?" says Webster. This is what highlights the wit in Campgrnds' approach, they're using AI as a feature to leverage growth for existing businesses. A sort of get in where you fit in, but in a market with massive and growing potential. When it comes to fashion resale the founder was very firm in his assertion that "tokenization consolidates everything, making the process much more efficient," referring to the indexing of client merchandise into their database, and AI knowledge base.
An example of an NFC tech-enabled chip such as those used by Campgrnds and its manufacturer partners.
“Imagine being able to have a conversation with your clothing. With just a tap of your phone, you can access information about the garment, get resale recommendations, and even receive personalized styling advice. It’s an altogether new way to interact with fashion.”
This level of interaction is particularly appealing to younger generations, who are driving the fashion resale market. According to Webster, 70 percent of StockX's 1.1 million active daily users are under the age of 35, with an average spend of $187. "Young people, especially Gen Z and Millennials, are the ones propelling the fashion resale market," Webster notes. "For businesses our technology is like having a sales rep with a secure checkout attached to each garment."
In addition to its technological innovations, Campgrnds is committed to sustainability. Traditional resale platforms require merchandise to be sent to processing facilities, creating unnecessary carbon emissions. Campgrnds' tokenization method eliminates this step, making the process more environmentally friendly. "We don't need large processing facilities. Our approach is far more efficient and sustainable." Webster points out. As Campgrnds continues to expand, Webster's vision for the company remains clear. "We're offering the next generation of fashion commerce, extending brands' communication with their communities. Our platform is the answer to an unsustainable status-quo in the fashion resale industry where fakes slip through the cracks, and fees make selling not worth it."
The future of Campgrnds is bright, with Webster and his team charting course. "We have an exceptional team," Webster says proudly. The team consists of Founder, Webster & Co-Founder Robert Purvy, with Edward Moskalenko as CTO & Steve Chang as the Industrial Designer. As for advisors, Jon O'Sullivan, Janice Burns, and India Webster all contribute to the health of the company.
Purvy, with his extensive experience in the sneaker industry, has been instrumental in shaping Campgrnds' approach to fashion resale. He has put together signature sneaker lines for Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Allen Iverson, and Spencer Dinwiddie. His extensive network is at the ready as Campgrnds continues to advance their offerings.
Eddie Moskalenko, the company's CTO, runs an award-winning software development agency called BeeTechy out of Los Angeles, CA. He's been pivotal in helping Campgrnds develop the documentation behind the OCRA tech. "He's got over a decade of project management and full stack-development experience," Webster says.
Chang, the industrial designer, ensures the technology integrates seamlessly with the physical garments. He works closely with manufacturers for quality assurance with the encrypted garment tags that are central to the Campgrnds' approach. "Steve worries about all the interactions between us and the manufacturers," Webster explains. "His work is essential for customer success."
Jon O'Sullivan, a strategic advisor, is currently the director of a newly formed digital bank called Sphere. He also serves in the Canadian Ministry of Defense as a strategic policy advisor for guns & gangs. He's had experience in Web3.0, consulting for project sustainability.
Janice Burns, a strategic advisor, is currently an executive consultant. She's distinguished herself having formerly served at the c-suite level in MasterCard as their Chief Learning Officer 12'-20' & at Degreed as Chief Peoples Officer 20’-24’.
India Webster, a risk management advisor, is an industrial engineer with over 22 years of experience having worked at CHUBB Insurance. She's also got a decade of real estate leadership from her time with Keller Williams.
Campgrnds is currently looking for commitments from interested businesses to participate in their closed beta. "Our technology is particularly beneficial for high-fashion and luxury brands," Webster notes. "These brands are most affected by counterfeiting."
The company's first customers have already provided valuable feedback, helping Campgrnds refine its offerings. "Build, measure, learn" says Webster. A mantra that's in part an explanation underpinning their current offerings, which they aptly call "GarmentGPTs." Webster goes on to say, "we essentially load an AI onto the clothes, custom GPTs actually. They're stocked with chat & voice modes, and simply require an OpenAI login."
You can demo the Campgrnds prototype yourself by visiting the link at the end of this article. It's a simple demo meant to showcase how easy it would be for anyone to participate in resale. "Campgrnds is simple really. Your account is generated with a claim or purchase of a tagged garment. The AI on each tag facilitates reselling when others make offers on fashion in your closet. Offers from those who scanned the garment directly or followed a shared link from online," Webster continues, "brands collect commissions from conversions with Campgrnds, resale is a great example of that."
Though resale is how Campgrnds serves its enterprise clients, Webster has confided in me that there's currently efforts underway to drive home more traditional conversions for SMB's with the selling and upselling of inventory."We're looking for commitments to our beta specifically for small to mid-sized businesses," Webster wants you to know. He added, "by all means, check out our Demo, and if you're interested in partnering with us in the future, sign the waitlist." As the company continues to grow, I get a strong sense that it will remain committed to providing a transparent, sustainable, and engaging experience for everyone. In an industry often characterized by fleeting trends and speculative veneers, Campgrnds stands out as a chance for true change — a fresh take for adoption of fresh tech.
You’ll find all of the links attached:
Use a mobile device browser or Chat GPT application (click blue “Play” button) - https://chatgpt.com/g/g-yBQTsxnbH-art-in-heaven
Register for the closed BETA - https://eform.pandadoc.com/?eform=5f1b56d5-f494-4fac-913f-5ce677f9ad2c
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Writing: Josh Sauceda
Interview: Nik VRSI
Photography: Bleu Pablo
Company photos courtesy of Campgrnds.
