This boy started an animal merchandise startup for welfare and rehabilitation of street dogs and cats - Kapil Patwardhan

    Kapil Patwardhan is the Founder of Floof. This startup sells animal merchandise. It also rescues and adopts dogs and cats and gives them a loving home. He is from Pune, India.

FLOOF:- https://getfloof.com/

EDUCATION

   Kapil completed his B.S in Sports Management from Winthrop University. 

HONORS

• Kapil featured in The Better India as a startup runner

SUCCESS STORY

  

   Kapil and his parents work frequently to rescue dogs and cats and find them shelters or a new home. Around 2013, his father, a captain in the Merchant Navy, came across a startup in Sri Lanka that sold merchandise and spent the profits on the welfare of animals. At that time, Kapil liked this concept but did not have any expertise or experience in this field. 

     Regardless, Kapil took the plunge and launched Floof in August 2018. To kickstart the business, he purchased cloth and other required material but later outsourced the work. It helped maintain the quality of products and they could more attention to rescuing animals. 

    kapil's merchandise has helped fund about 50 local volunteers and 10 NGOs, as well as free-range animals. The aim was to build a community that would come together and works on animal welfare. 

    Initially, Kapil worked on social media presence and created an Instagram community. The first six months were terrible, as he lost a lot of money building the website and creating products. However, in 2019, he decided to participate in a pet festival held in Mumbai to spread the word about the brand and it turned out to be a game-changer. 

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    Kapil was not competing with big brands that focused on pet items that addressed the animal's diet, health, and other needs. His products were aimed at the pet owner, who would wear merchandise to express their love for their furry friends. 

    With newfound confidence, Kapil started attending more events. Young people appreciated the products as they felt they supported the cause of animal welfare and raising awareness.

    Kapil started selling customized t-shirts and displaying prints at vet clinics. From fetching about seven orders a month, the sales grew to 40 over the next few months.  

    Today, Floof earns him Rs.7 lakh per year, of which 90 percent of the profits are spent on rescuing and adopting dogs and cats. The remaining amount is invested into scaling up the business by aiding volunteers.

If you love dogs, you have friends all over the country.