Interview: Why Thomas & Thomas want to change a market full of billion-dollar corporations of all things
How do you come up with the idea of developing a new razor? Why do you want to revolutionize a market that is controlled by billion-dollar corporations?
In the founder interview, Thomas & Thomas explain their personal journey from shaking their heads in the bathroom and a forgotten razor on a business trip to NASH.
Alex - our eCommerce guru - took the time today to accompany us to the beginnings of NASH:
Alex: What was the first stone that started rolling?
Thomas Schloss: Thomas and I have known each other since university. In 2015, we had already set up an e-commerce company, cosmetics for the bathroom and wellness for the shower. I forgot my razor on a trip and had to buy an expensive replacement model in the supermarket just so that my blades would fit. Back at the hotel, we did the math and talked: almost € 5 for one blade, lots of plastic, lots of packaging. And always those expensive TV commercials. Why is that?
Thomas Grüner: That's exactly what stuck with us. Imagine millions of men having the same routine every morning and yet it somehow feels wrong inside. Rubber handles, blister packs and outrageously expensive blades. We asked ourselves: if so many people shave, why is the system still like it was in the 80s? There must be a better way.
Alex: But what was the one pain that stuck with you?
Thomas Schloss: The plastic waste in the bathroom. Yes, it really is madness. These high-performance plastics may look like high performance, but you really don't need that for handles anymore. There are such great natural solutions.
Thomas Grüner: For us, the bamboo toothbrush was proof that things can be done differently. Same function, better feel, less waste. A clever choice of material. So you don't always have to reinvent everything, but rethink the important things: less kitsch, more substance. Less garbage, but more brains when it comes to materials. But of course, if you have to bring mass-produced goods onto the market as a company, then the natural ways are usually too expensive or inconvenient.
Alex: If plastic waste is so important to you, why didn't you make a razor?
Thomas Grüner: We are convinced that idealism is not enough in the long term. In order to revolutionize a market with an idea, a product has to be suitable for the masses without being mass-produced. A slicer or knife can be 100% purist, but in the end it won't be suitable for everyday use for most people.
Thomas Schloss: I am a father. Every minute counts in the morning. I've tried out knives and cut myself. I'm out of there. We don't want to teach anyone a new ritual. We wanted to deliver the existing better. That's why it's a system shaver: familiar, fast, safe.
Alex: What specifically do you do better at NASH? What was your idea?
Thomas Schloss: Our motto has always been right from the start: Not to make everything new, but to make the important things better. Two things count for us when shaving: Naturalness for the skin and a stress-free, cut-free application.
Thomas Grüner: That means we had to make a system shaver, but replace all the chemical, artificial and plastic stuff with something that is natural but works at least as well and, above all, is cheaper. Because it's essential that you can be cheaper in the end. We are not cheaper because we save on products, but because we don't have millions in sponsorship for footballers. This means that by not running TV commercials for hundreds of millions of euros like corporations, we can deliver top quality and more natural products at a better price. That is our strategy.
Alex: Was there that one moment when you knew: "This is going to be NASH"?
Thomas Grüner: Yes. The box with the first freshly sprayed biocomposite parts was on the table. We open it, take the parts in our hands - the material smells slightly of wood. Modern and original at the same time. We put the prototype together, it sits comfortably in the hand, the balance is right. We both said nothing for a moment. That was the moment: this is NASH.
Thomas Schloss: From 3D render to real life. You notice immediately: balance, design, material and function all mesh together. No bling, no rubber, no neon yellow decorative stripes - simply coherent and elegant. That was our "Okay, now we're us" moment.
Alex: What did you deliberately not do, even though it would have been easier?
Thomas Schloss: No shelf space next to the big brands, even though we had already had requests. If you want to be different, you have to clearly differentiate yourself. We deliver everything online, conveniently and environmentally friendly by post.
Thomas Grüner: And very important: relationship before conversion. With us, you can always reach someone. Try asking one of the other razor brands a question about how to clean the blade better or how to get rid of razor burn. We don't have a target group - every customer is a person. That sounds a bit esoteric to some people, but it's our conviction.
Alex: Your personal conclusion so far?
Thomas Grüner: In a short space of time, we've had over 20,000 customers and now more than half a million shaves. Our satisfaction rate is over 99%, and more and more new customers are coming through recommendations. That is the best compliment for us. It makes us humble.
Thomas Schloss: It's not easy. Every time we place an ad or become more visible on social media, headwinds appear as if by magic, click prices become more expensive or strange comments pop up. That's just the way it is. We just keep doing our thing.
Thomas Grüner: What's new is that we've now also launched in Italy and France. In just a few weeks, 100s of new customers have joined us and the feedback is just as strong. NASH no longer feels like just "another product", but like a movement that is quietly growing.
Thomas Schloss: Our path remains the same: leave out the superfluous, replace the artificial with the natural, be transparent and speak at eye level. That's how we want to break open this encrusted market.
Thomas Grüner: Well, the bottom line is that we simply do what we think people expect. To be treated with respect.
Alex: That was a long conclusion 😉
