Meet the Kickstarter That’s Funding Emoji Kandi Beads

Emoji beads are coming to the kandi world—at least if Hussain Alam, Pat Welsch and Janek Wegrzynowski (EmojiFriends) have anything to say about it. The three buddies are running a Kickstarter campaign to get their emoji beads mass-manufactured and into the hands (and onto the wrists) of as many ravers as possible.

Their ultimate goal is simple: to #SpreadHappiness. They’ve done exactly that, passing out their handmade beads everywhere from EDC Las Vegas to Electric Zoo. “With festivals come the outrageous outfits, hilarious totems, and unique kandi bracelets,” says Pat. “All these moments are unique, and our emoji beads capture the emotions of these small but special moments.”

The group has currently raised a little over $700 of their $6,000 goal, but time is running out (June 22 is the last day the campaign will be live). Head to EmojiFriend’s Kickstarter campaign and get your own set of these sweet beads (for as little as $5!).

For more information on the creators of the original emoji bead, read our Q&A with EmojiFriends below.

How do people react when you trade an emoji kandi bracelet?
Every single reaction and exchange has been special and memorable, but it’s the unexpected ones that really stand out. The sun was setting and the bass was pulsing as we were making our way toward kineticFIELD at EDC Las Vegas 2014. Suddenly, Hussain felt a tug on his arm. It turns out a raver had noticed a smiling emoji on his kandi. She grabbed his arm and shouted, “Oh my God! That’s so cool! Stay here!” and ran away. We were confused but decided to stay put. She came back with her friends and showed them the emoji beads. Naturally, we were more than thrilled to trade our kandi with them!

How did you pick which emojis will become one of the first five beads?

It wasn’t easy. We knew we wanted to pick ones that represented the emotions people felt at EDM festivals and when trading kandi. Since we’re limited to only five designs by the manufacturer (so we meet the minimum order quantity), we decided to pick ones that represent happiness, laughter and love. From there, we selected Designs 1–3. After selecting our core emojis, we decided to select Design 4 for the “cool” kandi makers and Design 5 so people could make a playful flirtatious kandi for that special someone. If all goes well, we plan on adding more emojis to our family!

How did you figure out which manufacturer to go with?
We used a few key factors: location, cost, quality and professionalism. The most important factor for us, however, was quality and experience. Our customers are supporting our dream to spread happiness, and we want to make sure they are truly happy with what they’re getting.

What was the process like getting on Kickstarter?
The most challenging part is the development of the campaign, which includes creating a video, pictures, story, and of course, prizes for our backers. Our team did everything in-house, developing many new skills while creating a small e-commerce business. Once we completed our campaign, we submitted it to Kickstarter and were instantly approved!

How did you perfect the prototype?
It was definitely a rough road that involved major trial and error. Our main objective was to create a beautiful, fun and durable emoji bead. Our first prototype was made with nail polish. It came out as well as it could have (having been drawn by three artistically challenged men). The emoji with its tongue sticking out looked more like a vampire after a hearty meal. Our second prototype was done with special decals, but over time the emojis began wearing off and looking distorted. We resolved this problem by using a layer of clear coat to preserve the image on our third and final prototype, making our emojis festival-ready!

If someone backs you on Kickstarter, what do they get?
In exchange for backing us, people will receive one of the prizes we’ve created (prizes are like a preorder of our merchandise). We get closer to reaching our goal with every backing, which will help us meet the minimum order quantity from our suppliers. Unfortunately, Kickstarter is an all-or-nothing campaign, meaning we must reach our goal of raising $6,000 by June 22. We’ve carefully calculated all our operational costs and [hope that] with enough support, we’ll be able to reach our goal of making EmojiFriends a reality!

Which emojis do you use the most in your day-to-day lives?
Hussain: People often tell me I have a smiling problem, so it makes sense that my favorite emoji is . It’s the perfect representation of happiness and excitement. Another favorite is , because who doesn’t like to have a good time?

Pat: is the one I use most often. It shows how eager and excited I am about new music, a festival or just hanging out.

Janek: I frequently use . The expression is perfect when someone tells me something new or shocking. I also use it whenever I see a ghost, but most of the time I will use it out of context, because I find the facial expression hilarious.