Tail Lightz are fabric patches that come with a builtin lighting system. They are available in unique designs and logos, and they have small magnets at the back of them which makes it easy to stick them to jeans pockets, bags, hats, or other clothing items. Kyle Rainey is the founder of Tail Lightz, and he came to the Shark Tank in season 3 episode 3, seeking an investment of $50,000 for 50% equity.
What Do They Make?
Tail Lightz are lighted embroidered designs that can be attached to jean pockets. They can be easily attached or detached, and they come in different designs and colors so that people of all ages can use them to decorate their clothing.
What Makes Them Unique?
Kyle believed that his product would catch fire as a hot new trend in the market. The designs have tiny strong magnets on the back which hold it in place no matter which surface they are stuck on. The designs are tailored according to different age groups. The smiley face or sports designs are suitable for kids, and their fun phrases designs like Rock Star and Drama Queen will appeal to girls and women of all ages.
Are They Still an Active Company?
The company is no longer in business. There are no active social media accounts or a running website to see where the business is at right now.
How Did the Shark Tank Pitch Go?
Kyle Rainey came to the Sharks seeking $50,000 for 50% equity. He told them that there are currently no other light models on the market like Tail Lightz. He said that once their product is on the market, “no one will want to be caught without their Tail Lightz on.” He went on to explain his different designs that are tailored specifically to cater to different age groups.
He told the Sharks that his products are currently in the design phase with working prototypes. He needed investment and partnership with one of the Sharks to be able to design slimmer, retail-ready products and convenient packaging. He wanted his product to be available in every retail store across the country.
Barbara jumped right in and said, “Who is ready? I am ready. I am ready to go out.” She explained that sitting on one of these designs would be very painful when they are attached to the back pocket of your pants. Secondly, if a person forgets to take them off their clothing, the product would not work well after washing. The designs also felt dated to her.
Mark asked one of the models who came with Kyle if she would prefer to wear the Tail Lightz design she was currently wearing on a date. The model hesitated to say yes, and Mark commented that Kyle’s core audience was not willing to wear the design. Kyle thought that his designs would catch fire and be popular but Mark just didn’t see it happening.
Kyle mentioned that he wanted the funding to improve his bulky prototypes and that he has never seen any other clothing item that has a lighting feature. Robert remarked that there are buttons that glow, and Kyle answered that they are not available as a patch with lighting in it.
Kevin pointed out that there was nothing proprietary about it and that if he wanted to go and manufacture a similar product to compete with Kyle’s, it would be very easy to accomplish that.
Kyle told them that he had two patents waiting: one for the detachable lighted design and the other for the fashion line that he created called Twinkle Cheeks.
Kevin asked him what he did for a living. Kyle replied that he was an artist and an inventor. Kevin asked whether his wife made money, and Kyle said that his wife had supported his family for 13 years. His wife was basically funding his goal to run the Tail Lightz business, and he really wanted this one to succeed so that she wouldn’t have to work so hard anymore.
Kevin pointed out that this idea was not going to succeed. None of the Sharks saw anything exclusive about the product, and hence he was going out.
Robert agreed with Barbara that the designs look dated, and he went out as well.
Daymond observed that he had seen at least 10 such products last year that were already on the market or doing sales. He was out.
Mark Cuban was the last Shark left. He advised Kyle that it doesn’t matter how many times he fails. All it takes is one hit for everybody to call him an overnight success. He asked him not to quit because even the Sharks have been laughed at some point in their lives. He said his biggest hits have been the ones where people thought he was most likely to fail. After saying that, he went out.
Kyle left the show with no deal.
He discussed afterward how it was humiliating to wonder whether or not he made the right move bringing his product to Shark Tank, but one cannot live life like that and should try and keep on going.
Our Review of Tail Lightz
The idea of Tail Lightz wasn’t bad but the designs and the product durability could have been improved so that the lights would not stop working after washing them.
Pros of Tail Lightz
- The designs are only suitable for kids or for special occasions like Halloween
Cons of Tail Lightz
- The designs cannot be worn on formal occasions
- The patches are not washable and durable
Who Is Tail Lightz For?
People of all ages can bring attention to their clothes through Tail Lightz. They can be attached to jeans, shorts, or even purses, backpacks, or hats.
Are There Any Alternatives?
- Fiber Optic Fabric Clothing
Our Final Thoughts
The design and product that Kyle brought to the Sharks could have been tweaked and improved, but the fact that Kyle brought bulky and unattractive prototypes to the show, was the reason why he left with no deal and no investment from any of the Sharks.
