I’m a little nerdy.  And I’m not afraid to admit it.  So I’m not afraid to admit that I spend quite a bit of time scouring obscure (not creepy, but just a bit obscure) websites for new and interesting stuff.  One of my favorites (although, not really obscure) is Springwise.com.  It’s been one I’ve visited daily for years now.  It’s always full of really unique and innovative business ideas and technology.

And the other day, I fell in love at first sight.

The IOWEU Project is based in India and is creating a unique cultural movement.  They’re combining new technologies, very old production techniques and storytelling in a way that is truly captivating and is really benefiting the world.

The brand sources all of its hand-woven fabrics from independent weavers all across India.  Using these fabrics, IOWEU crafts one-of-a kind clothing and accessories and sells them online.

What’s really interesting about this brand’s approach is that you can track each item of clothing’s journey- creation through purchase.  The story of each fabric and its crafter are captured with words and images.  As we journey through the site, we learn the history of each weaver, each artisan and in the end customer can contribute with their own story.

They’ve taken the storytelling aspect across multiple mediums.  At trunk shows held throughout the UK and India, customers can scan items QR codes and receive these stories via text message on their phone.

IOWEU is truly on the forefront of what every brand should be considering:

1.       How do we (as a company) help the world?

2.       How do we (as a company) become meaningful to our customers?

3.       How do we (as a company) give our customers something they will pass along?

4.       How do we use technology to bring it all together?

Don’t be afraid to share your story and don’t be afraid of using technology to do it.  We’ll see more and more companies take this approach to better connect with their customers and communities in the very near future.  Check the project out at www.iouproject.com.

Image Credit: http://iouproject.com