In May 2008, Jennie Nigrosh and Rick Siegel made the decision to create and market a reusable drycleaning garment bag; an organizational tool for consumers and a waste-reducing, revenue-generating brand extension for dry cleaners.
THE GREEN GARMENTO™ (TGG) serves as a space saving clothes hamper that morphs into a sturdy duffel/delivery bag for the trip to the dry cleaner and transforms into an attractive hanging garment bag to protect the clean clothes on the trip home without the need for single-use plastic bags. Even better, by transitioning to THE GREEN GARMENTO, not only can dry cleaners stop buying the single-use poly bags, they can also stop spending money on other packaging; garment covers; delivery/route bags, twist ties/rubber bands.
Over time, the company has learned that not only do drycleaners benefit from transitioning to these bags, but so do fluff and fold laundromats, hotels (among others, TGG supplies various Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, Intercontinental, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, and Fairmont properties). TGG is also becoming a favorite among promotional products companies and retailers (Costco.com, Ross Stores, linensandthings.com, Nancy’s Notions, jpselects.com, etc., and is the official GTL bag for MTV’s Mike Sorrentino, which has led to a litany of positive press for both ‘The Situation’ and the company).
TGG has been featured on, among other media, the Today and Early Shows, The View and 20/20; it has spotlighted in People Stylewatch, Entrepreneur, Family Circle and soon in Better Home and Gardens Magazines. This publicity, coordinated to help TGG in its so-far successful effort to become synonymous with the reusable drycleaning bag category (like Q-Tips, Kleenex and Xerox), has accomplished its objective: the reusable drycleaning garment bag is now commonly referred to by cleaners and distributors across the country as the “Garmento Bag.”
The Green Garmento™ made its first sale in October 2008. In its first twelve months in the marketplace, the company had $175,911.52 in sales; in year two, $230,420.36 (+31%). Thanks to a high percentage of reordering by existing customers and a recent strong uptick in new sales, TGG expects year three revenue of $375,000-$400,000. More important, with proper funding for inventory, a sales team and better infrastructure, the company expects to be in seven-figures next year and eight figures within four years. Once the category matures, helped by its proprietary ownership (shoulder-strap, handles, side zipper and hanger pouch, reinforcement techniques) preventing competitors from copying its user-friendly features and buoyed by a solid fiscal foundation of equity investment, TGG should be able to hold on to 30 - 40% of a $60,000,000 to $80,000,000 category. And doing so while taking hundreds of millions of plastic out of our ecosystem: a great double win.