Kelly Selzler Photography
Anastasia Allison with Kula Cloth.
- Toilet paper has become a hot commodity amid the coronavirus outbreak, and that's when Kula Cloth Founder Anastasia Allison found her company in high demand.
- The product is an antimicrobial rag geared toward female hikers who squat trail-side to pee.
- Since the second week of March, Kula is averaging anywhere from 120 to 140 sales per day, triple her daily average from December 2019. As of March 28, Kula has sold 1,877 cloths.
- Her small business is fighting to keep up with demand and discounting prices so that everyone who wants or needs a Kula Cloth can get one.
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As the coronavirus sweeps across the US, toilet paper continues to disappear from store shelves at an astonishing speed. According to a statement by Georgia-Pacific LLC, the company that makes Quilted Northern and Angel Soft, the average household uses 409 rolls per year. But, this estimate should increase by 140% for families who are remaining at home all the time.
Despite reassurances that there is plenty to go around, people are still hoarding, leaving others bereft and in need of the hygienic paper.
Amidst this madness, one small company finds itself in an unexpected position of success. Anastasia Allison, the 39-year-old founder of a reusable toilet paper company called Kula Cloth, never thought a nationwide pandemic would send her business into overdrive. But then again, reusable toilet paper isn't your everyday invention.
Founded in 2018, Kula Cloth is an antimicrobial, quick-drying pee rag designed for use by those who squat when they pee.
Rose Freeman
Kula Cloth.
As an avid outdoors woman and former park ranger, Allison first thought of the idea in 2016 after a backpacking trip in Wyoming's Wind River High Route. She snapped a photo of her pee rag - a small scrap of a bandana many female hikers use to wipe - as a joke to send to a friend.
That's when it hit her: Why isn't this a real piece of gear? Fast forward a few years and Allison had a bonafide small business that was growing legs in the outdoor community. Men don't typically use the Kulas, so Allison targeted a small niche market: outdoor women.
Similar to toilet paper, Kulas are a fairly basic square of material. One side is antimicrobial with silver-infused absorbent fabric; this is the side used to wipe. The other side is colorful with one of a dozen pattern options. The printed layer is waterproof so user's hands never get wet. A snapping loop in the corner makes it easy to hang the Kula from a backpack - or a toilet paper dispenser.
Two years after the brand's launch, Kulas are well known within their target audience, but they certainly aren't a household name among the non-hiking folks. However, as more and more people are finding themselves without toilet paper in their homes, they're getting creative.
"The change has been so abrupt over the past few weeks," Allison told Business Insider, noting that she hasn't done any extra marketing for her product. "I'm getting sent hundreds and hundreds of photos of a roll of toilet paper with a Kula sitting next to it."
Business booms
Prior to COVID-19, Allison's business sold a few hundred Kulas every month. In March 2019, her business saw 381 orders. In November 2019, she sold 781 Kulas, which included her highest sales day up until that point of 175 on Cyber Monday. December 2019 was her biggest month yet, with a whopping 1,089 holiday orders.
Then, March 2020 roared in like a lion. For the past few weeks, Allison has barely been able to keep up with sales. Since the second week of March, Kula is averaging anywhere from 120 to 140 sales per day, which is triple her daily average from December 2019. As of March 28, Kula has sold 1,877 cloths.
Keeping supply high for a new audience
Currently, Allison's biggest challenge is keeping her supply up with the demand. In addition to herself, Allison has one full-time employee and a second who she keeps on retainer as the brand's creative director. Kula also uses two production teams for the knitting and bonding processes: one in Pennsylvania and one in Colorado. Fortunately, she purchased a double order of raw materials last year, so Kula has the fabric to continue with production.
Rose Freeman
Kula Cloth.
However, thanks to the swath of shelter-in-place orders across the country, the facilities have temporarily closed because they were deemed non-essential. Allison shared that there was a good chance they would be considered essential and allowed to return to work.
"It's been a juggling act, trying to balance the closure orders with the demand for what a lot of people consider a necessary product," she said.
For her part, Allison wants to ensure that everyone who wants a Kula can get one. She has hundreds of early prototypes at her house that are rough around the edges (literally) but still function. If someone can't afford a Kula, they just need to reach out to Allison and she sends it for free - no questions asked.
Allison is also offering Kulas to folks on a sliding scale via a discount code. Additionally, she's presently working with her production team to create trimmed-down models that eliminate the reflective thread or the snap but cost less since they boast fewer features.
Standard Kulas value anywhere from $20 to $22, but Allison is hoping to get the bare-bones versions down to $10 to $12. Her profit margin on these Kulas will be minimal since the manufacturing costs don't decrease, but her goal is to make them more accessible.
"Sometimes the value of a product transcends money," Allison said. "During a time when so many are struggling, I feel fortunate to be able to focus on giving."
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