Kitchen Garden Forum

I have an idea for a piece of gardening equipment / aparatus.

I have not seen the like in any catalogues or Harrods Produce leaflet. I have manufactured (knocked up) a prototype and it seems to work well, I have already thought of an improvement but unable to investigate futher as it involves modern materials that I am unable to obtain.

I'm not asking about patenting, but how does one approach a suitable Company with an idea that you think they might like to use and hope to be paid an ammount for the idea without them just walking away and duplicating it?

I'm loath to go down the patenting road as it seems to involve quite a lot of cash 'up-front'. Cheers, Tony.

Hit the internet, find a likely looking company and either e-,ail or phone them and discuss the process without disclosing the idea itself.
You need something in writing about paying you for the idea if they put it into production BEFORE you disclose it and an e-mail or letter won't cost them much.

This may sound totally off the wall, but Lakeland - the kitchen company often seem to work with customers who have designed specific tools for a job. They seem to be expanding their garden range and even have a separate catalogue with quite reasonable prices for garden tools and bits and bobs. I don't know how they work re money, but they always give the customer who invented the item credit, so my guess is they are a fairly ethical company. Might be worth a call?