# 007: CNC Knitted Scarves & $100K Kickstarter Success, Fabienne Serrière of Knit Yak

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2016-05-03
- Length: 46m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-05-03-007-cnc-knitted-scarves-100k-kickstarter-success-fabienne-serriere-of-knit-yak
- Listen: https://theproductstartup.com/episode-7-fabienne-serriere-with-knit-yak/

## Summary

Fabienne Serrière, founder of Knit Yak, explains how she combined computer science with fashion to create unique scarves using an industrial Stoll CNC knitting machine. She details her solo $100,000 Kickstarter campaign, emphasizing the importance of mentorship, direct email outreach, and keeping the product as the primary offering. Serrière discusses the operational challenges of sourcing custom yarn, managing a heavy industrial machine, and fulfilling orders while maintaining a bootstrapped, slow-growth business model.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-05-03-007-cnc-knitted-scarves-100k-kickstarter-success-fabienne-serriere-of-knit-yak#t=0) Introduction: Fabienne Serrière and Knit Yak
- [2:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-05-03-007-cnc-knitted-scarves-100k-kickstarter-success-fabienne-serriere-of-knit-yak#t=131) From Consumer to Industrial CNC Knitting
- [5:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-05-03-007-cnc-knitted-scarves-100k-kickstarter-success-fabienne-serriere-of-knit-yak#t=343) Planning and Executing the $100K Kickstarter
- [9:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-05-03-007-cnc-knitted-scarves-100k-kickstarter-success-fabienne-serriere-of-knit-yak#t=556) Crowdfunding Advice: Mentors and Email Outreach
- [18:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-05-03-007-cnc-knitted-scarves-100k-kickstarter-success-fabienne-serriere-of-knit-yak#t=1113) Bootstrapped Business Model and Supply Chain
- [24:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-05-03-007-cnc-knitted-scarves-100k-kickstarter-success-fabienne-serriere-of-knit-yak#t=1467) Prototyping, Yarn Sourcing, and Machine Training
- [29:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-05-03-007-cnc-knitted-scarves-100k-kickstarter-success-fabienne-serriere-of-knit-yak#t=1744) Unique Product Design and Algorithmic Patterns
- [34:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-05-03-007-cnc-knitted-scarves-100k-kickstarter-success-fabienne-serriere-of-knit-yak#t=2065) Website Design and Order Fulfillment Logistics

## Topics

- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Knit Yak (company)
- Stoll (company)
- Shima Sakey (company)
- Kickstarter (other)
- Ravelry (other)
- Zappos (company)
- Mako Design + Invent (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [An Interview with Fabienne Serrière of KnitYak](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-07-10-an-interview-with-fabienne-serriere-of-knityak) (The Amp Hour)
- [389: Blobs Are Not Stressful](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-10-14-389-blobs-are-not-stressful) (Embedded.fm)
- [Afterschool Podcast, Episode 19 - Craighton Berman, Founder of Manual (04/16)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2014-04-16-afterschool-podcast-episode-19-craighton-berman-founder-of-manual-04-16) (Core77 Podcast)
- [96: Yarn Is Serious Business](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2015-04-08-96-yarn-is-serious-business) (Embedded.fm)
- [Kickstarter, Copycats, and Comebacks: RiutBag’s Rise](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/its-only-a-prototype/2025-07-01-kickstarter-copycats-and-comebacks-riutbags-rise) (It's Only a Prototype)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-05-03-007-cnc-knitted-scarves-100k-kickstarter-success-fabienne-serriere-of-knit-yak. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Product Startup.