The Folklore Group
The Folklore Group operates an all-in-one B2B/B2C commerce platform that helps 1,000+ small fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands from 40+ emerging markets publish products across 15+ channels, generate AI marketing content, access wholesale buyers, and ship globally via discounted carrier rates.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What The Folklore Group does
The Folklore Group, Inc. is a New York-based commerce technology company founded in 2018 by Amira Rasool that operates an all-in-one B2B and B2C platform for small-to-medium fashion, beauty, home, and lifestyle brands — with a deliberate focus on suppliers from emerging markets and underrepresented communities across 40+ countries. The platform's core technology is a multi-channel commerce dashboard that lets brands publish product catalogs to more than a dozen external channels (Nordstrom, Faire, TikTok Shop, Etsy, Google Shopping, Amazon, Pinterest, Wayfair, Shopify, JOOR) from a single onboarding, and that layers AI-generated product photography, descriptions, social content, and personalized wholesale buyer outreach on top. Underneath this, the company operates two storefronts — The Folklore Shop (consumer) and Folklore Connect (B2B wholesale) — plus a third sub-product, The Folklore Source, which is a vetted two-sided talent marketplace for freelancers and manufacturers.
The company generates revenue through three mechanics: (1) tiered subscriptions ($39 Essentials / $79 Plus / $149 Premium per month, with annual discounts), (2) transaction fees (6% on consumer orders, 2.5% on wholesale orders, 5% on third-party marketplace orders, 7.7% + $0.15 on Source marketplace payments), and (3) shipping label fees on top of discounted DHL, FedEx, and UPS rates. The platform claims 1,000+ brands, 4,600+ products, and $2M+ in transactions processed, supported by 11-50 employees. Strategic distribution partnerships with Nordstrom, Faire, and TikTok Shop function as the primary enterprise anchors, while integrations with Shippo, Lemlist, JOOR, and Shopify Collective extend operational capability. The company has raised $6.2 million total across a 2021 Techstars accelerator entry, a 2022 pre-seed led by Slauson & Co, and a 2024 seed led by Benchstrength, with stated use of proceeds including working capital loans and the Source talent marketplace.
The Folklore Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Folklore Group
- Legal name
- The Folklore Group, Inc.
- Website
- https://thefolklore.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Folklore Group operates an all-in-one B2B/B2C commerce platform that helps 1,000+ small fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands from 40+ emerging markets publish products across 15+ channels, generate AI marketing content, access wholesale buyers, and ship globally via discounted carrier rates.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Folklore Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Multi-Channel Commerce Platform
- NAICS
- All Other Miscellaneous Retailers (45999), Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers (459), All Other Miscellaneous Retailers (459999)
- SIC
- Retail-Variety Stores (5331)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Social Marketplace Aggregators (Multi-seller in Social Feed) (CRAFANAB)
Keywords
Where The Folklore Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Folklore Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Subscription Fees: Three-tier subscription model (Essentials, Plus, Premium) providing access to the platform's technology, member benefits, and community resources. Plans range from $39 to $149 per month, billed monthly, quarterly, or annually. Annual subscriptions offer 20% savings.
- Transaction Fees: Platform charges transaction fees when orders are processed through its marketplace. Consumer storefront orders incur 6% fee, wholesale orders 2.5%, third-party marketplace orders 5-6%. Transaction fees are deducted from payouts before brands receive payment.
- Shipping Label Fees: Fees for shipping label creation using discounted carrier rates (DHL, FedEx, UPS). A 10% fee applies when shipping labels are created for purposes other than processing orders.
- Source Marketplace Fees: Service providers (freelancers and manufacturers) using The Folklore Source marketplace pay a 7.7% + $0.15 fee for each payment received from brands.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Essential tools for small businesses managing operations, knowledge growth, and network building |
| Subscription | Monthly | Powerful visibility tools with hands-on support for growth-focused brands |
| Subscription | Monthly | Invite-only premium marketplace access for established small businesses |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
The Folklore Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Folklore operates an all-in-one commerce platform that enables independent fashion, beauty, home, and lifestyle brands to list products across multiple marketplaces and social channels, access wholesale buyers, generate AI-powered marketing content, and ship globally at discounted rates. The platform combines a B2B wholesale marketplace (Folklore Connect), a B2C consumer storefront (Folklore Shop), and a subscription SaaS product (Essentials/Plus/Premium tiers) with AI marketing tools, multi-channel analytics, and a vetted talent marketplace (The Folklore Source).
Product overview
The Folklore is an all-in-one B2B and B2C commerce platform built for small fashion, beauty, home, wellness, and lifestyle brands seeking global growth. The platform is organized around three subscription tiers — Essentials ($39/month), Plus ($79/month), and Premium by-invitation ($149/month) — and combines Multi-Channel Selling, Multi-Channel Analytics, Retailer Connect, and AI-powered marketing tools (Product Content Creator, Social Media Content Creator, Smart Ad Promotion) with operational infrastructure (Discounted Global Shipping, Dropship Order Management, Vetted Talent Sourcing via The Folklore Source) and community benefits (Mentorship Program, Community Events & Messaging, educational resources). The platform operates dual storefronts: a consumer-facing Folklore Shop (B2C) and Folklore Connect (B2B wholesale), both connected to multi-channel integrations including Nordstrom, Faire, TikTok Shop, Amazon, Etsy, Google Shopping, Pinterest, Wayfair, JOOR, and Shippo, alongside discounted shipping through DHL, FedEx, and UPS.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Folklore Connect: B2B wholesale platform connecting emerging market luxury and fashion brands with North American and European retailers.
- The Folklore Source
Products and services
- The Folklore Platform Subscription-based SaaS platform offering Essentials, Plus, and Premium tiers that provides independent fashion, beauty, home, and lifestyle brands with multi-channel selling, AI marketing tools, multi-channel analytics, retailer outreach, discounted global shipping, community resources, and mentorship. Plans range from $39 to $149 per month.
- The Folklore Shop (Consumer Storefront) Consumer-facing B2C storefront at thefolklore.com/shop featuring products across fashion, beauty, home, and lifestyle categories. Supports international customers across 40+ countries with discounted shipping rates.
- Folklore Connect (Wholesale Marketplace) B2B wholesale marketplace enabling global retailers (boutiques to enterprise) to discover 1,000+ diverse and sustainable brands across 40+ countries, browse by category/country/identity/values, place wholesale orders, message brands directly, request samples, and schedule appointments. Free for retailers to join.
- The Folklore Source Vetted talent marketplace connecting freelancers and manufacturers with brands seeking specialized services including marketing, web design, business and finance, production, creative services, and manufacturing capabilities (CMT, fabric sourcing, pattern making, sample making, techpack creation). Service providers pay 7.7% + $0.15 per payment received.
- Mentorship Program Mentorship program connecting independent brand founders with global retail and fashion experts across business strategy, finance, creative services, marketing, production, and web design for guided strategic support on international expansion.
Quantifiable outcome
- Save $2,000 and 100 hours monthly on essential selling and marketing tasks
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use The Folklore Group
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Folklore Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration17 records
AI capability7 records
Feature9 records
The Folklore Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- NordstromcoreNordstrom partnered with The Folklore to feature diverse global brands through the platform's Multi-Channel Selling feature. Brands like Sentient and Tribal Eyes successfully launched on Nordstrom.com through this partnership. The collaboration enables emerging market brands to access U.S. retail fulfillment infrastructure.
- DHLminorDHL provides discounted international shipping rates to The Folklore member brands, enabling up to 70% savings on shipping across 220+ territories. Brands can compare rates and generate labels through the platform.
- FedExminorFedEx provides discounted shipping rates to The Folklore member brands, enabling significant savings on international shipping. Integrated with the platform's shipping label creation system.
- UPSminorUPS provides discounted shipping rates to The Folklore member brands, enabling significant savings on international shipping. Integrated with the platform's shipping label creation system.
- FairecoreFaire.com integration through The Folklore's Multi-Channel Selling tool enables brands to list on Faire without separate account setup. Brands manage Faire orders through the platform's central dashboard.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Folklore Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Faire: Faire is the largest B2B wholesale marketplace for independent brands and retailers of fashion, beauty, home, and lifestyle products. It is The Folklore's closest direct competitor, both via The Folklore's own wholesale marketplace and through integration into retailers' workflows.
- JOOR: JOOR is a global B2B wholesale platform and order management system used by fashion brands and retailers worldwide. The Folklore integrates JOOR directly and competes with it for wholesale workflow control of emerging-market brands.
- Ankorstore: Ankorstore is a European-focused B2B wholesale marketplace connecting independent brands with boutique retailers. It is comparable to The Folklore Connect in product and target customer but operates primarily in Europe rather than across The Folklore's emerging-market geographies.
- Tundra: Tundra is a zero-commission B2B wholesale marketplace for brands and retailers across home, apparel, and beauty. It directly competes with The Folklore's wholesale marketplace for independent brand discovery and ordering.
- NuORDER (NuOrder): NuORDER (a Lightspeed company) is a B2B wholesale platform for fashion and lifestyle brands and retailers, focused on line sheets, orders, and assortment planning — comparable to The Folklore's Folklore Connect storefront and Line Sheet Generator.
Broad incumbents
- Shopify: Shopify is the dominant SMB commerce platform with broad multi-channel selling, analytics, and AI tools via Shop App and Shopify Collective. It is a broad incumbent whose product surface competes with The Folklore's selling/marketing stack while serving a larger and overlapping SMB base.
- Squarespace: Squarespace offers SMB website building, commerce, and email/marketing tools popular with independent fashion and lifestyle brands. It is a broad incumbent that overlaps with The Folklore's multi-channel selling and content/AI marketing capabilities for the same SMB cohort.
Emerging players
- Etsy: Etsy is a consumer marketplace for handmade and vintage goods including fashion, beauty, and home, and is integrated into The Folklore as a multi-channel listing destination. It overlaps as a discovery/transaction channel for the same independent-brand customer base.
Regional players
- Selency: Selency (formerly Brocante Lab) is a curated C2C/B2C marketplace for pre-owned and vintage home and lifestyle in Europe. It is an adjacent marketplace peer emphasizing curated design-led merchandising across home and lifestyle categories The Folklore also serves.
Others
- Pattern Brands: Pattern Brands acquires and operates a portfolio of direct-to-consumer lifestyle brands (e.g., home and wellness) and serves similar independent/emerging-brand audiences; it is adjacent ecosystem context rather than a direct competitor to The Folklore's platform play.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Folklore Group social profiles
Digital presenceThe Folklore Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Folklore Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Folklore Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors8 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Folklore Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Folklore Group
What does The Folklore Group do?
The Folklore operates an all-in-one commerce platform that enables independent fashion, beauty, home, and lifestyle brands to list products across multiple marketplaces and social channels, access wholesale buyers, generate AI-powered marketing content, and ship globally at discounted rates. The platform combines a B2B wholesale marketplace (Folklore Connect), a B2C consumer storefront (Folklore Shop), and a subscription SaaS product (Essentials/Plus/Premium tiers) with AI marketing tools, multi-channel analytics, and a vetted talent marketplace (The Folklore Source).
Is The Folklore Group a public or private company?
The Folklore Group is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was The Folklore Group founded?
The Folklore Group was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Folklore Group based?
The Folklore Group is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Folklore Group make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Subscription Fees are the primary driver. The others are transaction Fees, shipping Label Fees and source Marketplace Fees.
Who are The Folklore Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Faire, JOOR, Ankorstore, Tundra and NuORDER (NuOrder). Broad incumbents are Shopify and Squarespace. Etsy is listed as an emerging player. Selency is listed as a regional player. Pattern Brands is listed as an others.
Does The Folklore Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Folklore Group.
What industry is The Folklore Group in?
The Folklore Group's product category is Multi-Channel Commerce Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAFANAB, Social Marketplace Aggregators (Multi-seller in Social Feed). Its NAICS code is 45999 and its SIC code is 5331.