September Manufacturing Update

You know that component we’ve been waiting for? We still haven’t received it… And it’s going to set manufacturing back to the end of Q1 2022 at this point. 😩

Why is this causing such a lengthy delay?

This is a similar situation to what many other manufacturers have been dealing with in the past year, however in our case, while we’ve ordered key components well ahead of time, those orders have been delayed multiple times. Now, those delays have resulted in a new issue. 

We require a full month of our manufacturer’s time and manufacturing floor to build and Q/A Instafloss. Previously, with the anticipated delays in the part responsible for controlling our motor, our manufacturer was able to be very accommodating in reserving that time for us, but now with the latest delay in our parts delivery, we aren’t able to retain that same manufacturing window. The next closest window is at the end of Q1.

We are incredibly upset by this development, but there’s little we can do besides wait. As we’ve mentioned previously, we engineered Instafloss to be compatible with a wide range of components, but this particular component has no near peer alternatives. 

On top of that, we ordered this part all the way back in 2020, which should’ve given us plenty of wiggle room to get it in time for manufacturing, but the supply shortages and shipping issues have resulted in a disruption to the global supply chain never before seen.

At this point, we’ve got all other steps in manufacturing complete and are merely waiting on this part delivery and then the next manufacturing window.

We’re in this together 

We’re frustrated, and we know you are too. Those who’ve pre-ordered are our biggest supporters helping to turn Instafloss into reality, so you’re just as much a part of this process as we are, and know how frustrating it is to be told there’s another delay.

This is especially true considering that we’ve already received shipping quotes, already have all other parts ready, and are merely delayed by one component.

It’s similar to how Ford has tens of thousands of vehicles sitting incomplete in parking lots near their factories for the same reason.

For those of you that have been understanding during this time, we’re extremely grateful for your continued support. We have gotten our fair share of outrage for delays, and we don’t blame you in the least. We will continue to answer every question in a timely manner.

We have also been encouraged by those of you with kind words of support as we bring this game-changer to market for the first time. Thank you.

As ironic as it is that the world’s fastest floss is taking so long to get out of the factory, I think we’ll look back at these times and be proud of what we’ve done. Over 70% of people in the developed world do not floss (and those who do are likely doing it wrong). This is a terrifying statistic and one we hope to put a dent in. Hopefully, in the near future, we’ll read the updated metrics and know that we helped improve the health of millions. It just took a little longer than we thought.