Kanzee is a social network and accompanying app that allows people to share and swap clothes with each other. It’s a simple concept and that’s why I like it. It also solves a problem that many a fashionista have encountered (myself not included) — how to get new outfits or accoutrements for specific events without purchasing them.
Founding brothers Felipe Zuccoli Rezende (CEO) and Gabriel Zuccoli Rezende (CMO) conceived the idea and company about six months ago in Brazil. The iOS version of their app is slated to launch in 2 weeks. They have traveled to TechCrunch Disrupt to show their new concept ahead of the launch.
How does it work? Like any social network, friends use the app to organize into groups. Once they are grouped, they can take and upload pictures of clothes they want to make available for swapping with their friends. Once this is done, they can use the app in one of two modes: Search mode or “Shoutout” mode.
Search mode is just what it sounds like: you search though all of your friends’ available clothes and if you see something you like, you request it and then select an item from your own library that you would like to swap for it. It shows both items in a split view. Later you exchange those physical items with each other.
Shoutout mode let’s users broadcast that they need a certain item, like a dress for example. Other participants get that message and can respond with possibilities.
I asked the founders if the goal was for users to save money. It is a side effect, but it’s not really the main objective. Gabriel Zuccoli Rezende told me that instead, it’s really just about finding clothes you like from trusted sources and having a larger available wardrobe. The more I think about it, recommendations are built into these items. I mean, your friend bought these items, so they must have liked them. Now you can use them too. It’s a good idea.
Additionally, there is a sustainability angle for this too. After all, fashion is ephemeral. Why buy a brand new dress that you may only wear for one event? Instead, maybe use one your friend already wore (but it is new for you). When looking at it this way, it is possible to be less wasteful.
As for a monetization strategy, the founders have definite ideas in mind that they preferred not to discuss at this point. Right now the initial focus is on growing the network of people using it. They have a 50k investor and are planning to raise more money to scale the concept. They plan to launch the app in english, but the ultimate strategy is for international versioning.
I’ve seen some other concepts like this before like Share Closet and Closet Swap and Kloset Karma but there is probably room for more in the market.