If you've got a great product idea but lack the resources to make it happen, Kickstarter and other similar crowdfunding websites are a great way to turn your dreams into reality.
Not every Kickstarter project winds up being funded, but in the past, some weird campaigns have found success — even joke campaigns, like the infamous potato salad Kickstarter campaign that raised more than $55,000. Some products are ingenious, some are fascinating and others are so strange we're not even sure why anyone would back them.
These 10 products may seem odd, but they've all come to life thanks to the Kickstarter community:
1. 5 O'clock Shadow
Tessa Rushton, the creator and mastermind behind this campaign, described the 5 O'clock Shadow as a hand-knitted "functional beard face mask" made with cotton-poly lining and featuring two elastic straps that go around your head to keep it in place. The purpose? To keep your face warm in the cold, or as the Kickstarter page describes it, to "give your face a hug." The campaign, which was launched in 2012, had a goal of $3,000 and was successfully funded by 25 backers, reaching $3,119. (Kickstarter)
2. Meat Soap
Much like the creators of this weird Kickstarter campaign, we too "firmly believe that the aroma of freshly cooked bacon should linger long after breakfast," but we're not so sure about washing our hands with meat. Meat Soap, a soap made of animal byproducts and rendered fats and no preservatives, aims to get you clean and smelling like bacon (or beef!). After launching in 2011 with a goal of $1,500, Alli Dryer and the rest of the Meat Soap team managed to attract 42 backers and raise $1,905. (Kickstarter)
3. Crystal Bacon
Speaking of meat, this Kickstarter project allows you to literally bring home (and wear) the bacon. Creator Greg Kiesow described Crystal Bacon as his "sculptural tribute to the most delicious of all meats, bacon." But what exactly is Crystal Bacon? The products are small, durable sculptures of bacon made out of clear acrylic plastic. Kiesow wrote that he and his wife and daughter started making them and turning them into holiday ornaments and jewelry. Backers could be rewarded with bacon earrings and necklaces, a large signed bacon sculpture or even a bacon sculpture featuring a mahogany frying pan and crystal grease splatters. Crystal Bacon launched on Kickstarter in 2012 with a goal of $2,000, and with 49 backers, ultimately raised $2,786. (Kickstarter)
4. My Little Demon
As Heather V. Kreiter, the mastermind behind this Kickstarter campaign wrote, "Every year, thousands … no, millions … NO, BAZILLIONS of Demons are exorcised by careless, thoughtless individuals," and it's her mission to "save these mischievous little hellions and find them loving, nurturing homes." But it's not as creepy as it sounds — these "demons" are actually plush stuffed animals reminiscent of My Little Pony toys but with a devilish twist. These demon plushies come in four different models with oddly cute names: Corpsey Puff, Satana, Voodoo Vixen and Inky Poo. The project was launched in 2013 and surpassed its initial $25,000 goal, raising $28,487. Some may find the concept strange, but 352 backers thought these demons were lovable enough to take home. (Kickstarter)
5. Grilled Cheesus
The expertly named Grilled Cheesus is the perfect Kickstarter for anyone who likens eating a grilled cheese sandwich to a religious experience, as it gives new meaning to the Last Supper. The Grilled Cheesus is a sandwich press, but it doesn't just make ordinary paninis — it "toasts the face of Jesus onto your sandwich bread," according to the Kickstarter page. The Grilled Cheesus campaign, created by Rob Corso and Meg Sheehan, was launched in 2012 with a goal of $25,000. Thanks to 286 backers, it was successfully (and miraculously) funded at $25,604. (Kickstarter)
6. Pi Pie Pan
You've likely seen cakes in all different shapes and sizes, but what about pie? This Kickstarter campaign for a Pi symbol-shaped pie pan aimed to break the mold and make pie a little more fun (and a little more complicated for those who could barely bake a round pie to begin with). We'll admit, this one is kind of cool, especially if math is your thing. What makes this Kickstarter campaign somewhat unbelievable is the fact that while creator Garret H.'s goal was to raise $2,000, the project earned a whopping $17,542 with the help of 741 backers. (Kickstarter)
7. Poop: The game
Yes, this Kickstarter project is a game called Poop and yes, there is plenty of toilet humor involved. Poop is a card game similar to the popular game Uno and is designed so that both kids and adults can play and enjoy it. (It even comes with drinking game rules for those adults who want to spice things up.) According to the Kickstarter page, "Kids love it because of the silly designs and opportunity to make poop jokes. Adults love it because Poop makes them act like kids." The campaign by Feels Right Design launched in 2014 with a goal of $4,500, and ultimately raised $11,696, thanks to 668 backers. (Kickstarter)
8. Combat Kitchenware
Fans of "Game of Thrones" and the like will probably enjoy this Kickstarter campaign, but it is, admittedly, a little strange. Combat Kitchenware takes regular pans and turns them into battle weapons (well, not really). Products include trivets that look like Viking shields and frying pans with various sword-inspired handles. Why, you might ask? As campaign creator James Brown of Morlock Enterprises wrote on the Kickstarter page, "I can crack eggs with a well-placed pistol and beat them with a mighty cordless drill. But frying them? For that I use a nonmighty pan? Never!" With Combat Kitchenware, you can have "a battle-hardened piece of cookware ready to maul any meal you sling before it." Launched in 2012, this Kickstarter project started with a goal of $7,000 and ultimately raised $46,261 with the help of 651 backers. (Kickstarter)
9. Griz Coat
You could say this Kickstarter project gives people the right to "bear" arms. But what is it? The Griz Coat is a grizzly bear-inspired jacket made from faux fur that comes with a detachable bear-head hood and is complete with authentic-looking eyes, teeth, claws and nose. According to the campaign's creators, Buffoonery Factory, "the Griz Coat is highly appropriate for: Halloween, Bay to Breakers, Monday morning meetings, most weddings, Tuesday morning meetings, high school reunions and first dates," so don't worry — you'll get plenty of use out of it. The campaign launched in 2012 with a goal of $2,500, but the Griz Coat's 180 backers ultimately raised $29,015. And while it may seem strange, the original Griz Coat became so popular that its designers now offer a polar bear version, too. (Kickstarter)
10. The Ostrich Pillow
This campaign is one of the most successful Kickstarters we've ever seen. The Ostrich Pillow, created by STUDIO BANANA THiNGS, offers a way to take a cozy and comfortable power nap anytime, anywhere. The pillow is designed to let users create a little private space to relax and unwind and has a soft interior shelter made of synthetic stuffing that isolates the head and hands for a short break, without the user ever having to get up from a desk or chair. We'll admit it — while the idea of napping on the go is appealing and the design sounds comfortable, using it looks more than a little strange. The project, which launched in 2012 with a goal of $70,000, raised $195,094 from 1,846 backers in 30 days. (Kickstarter)
Business News Daily Senior Writer Chad Brooks also contributed to this story.
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