The Chatham Basket
Faux wicker for modern retail.
THE CHALLENGE: CREATE A FAUX WICKER COLLECTION THAT STANDS OUT IN A CROWDED MARKET WHILE MAINTAINING DURABILITY, COSTS AND EFFICIENT MANUFACTURING.
THE APPROACH: INCORPORATE A UNIQUE FAUX WICKER MATERIAL PROFILE FOR A MORE NATURAL APPEARANCE. APPLY COILING AND STITCHING TECHNIQUES INSPIRED BY ROPE BASKETS. REFINE PROPORTIONS TO IMPROVE NESTING AND SHIPPING EFFICIENCY. INTRODUCE FAUX LEATHER HANDLES TO ADD CONTRAST AND PERCEIVED VALUE.
FACTORY COLLABORATION: EXPLORE AND TEST MATERIALS, STRUCTURE AND MATERIAL PROFILES.VALIDATE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY AND SCALABILITY. REFINE ASSEMBLY TECHNIQUES.
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT: THE ORIGINAL DESIGN USED A FLAT EXTRUSION PROFILE, A METAL ELEMENT TO HELP MAINTAIN A ROUND FORM AND BASIC STRAP HANDLES. SUBSEQUENT VERSIONS CHANGED THE EXTRUSION TO BE TWISTED AND THAT RESULTED IN A SELF-SUPPORTING WALL. COILING THE TWISTED MATERIAL, NEW STITCHING AND RE-POSITIONING THE HANDLE CREATED A STRONGER BASKET WITH A REFRESHED NEW LOOK.
FOR ANOTHER GENERATION, I UPGRADED THE BASKET WITH A ROLLED HANDLE DESIGN. THAT INVOLVED TESTING THE STRUCTURAL ELEMENT AND REFINING THE EXACT METHOD OF ATTACHMENT TO PREVENT THE HANDLES FROM BENDING OR SAGGING. THE RESULT WAS AN UPRIGHT HANDLE THAT MAINTAINED ITS FORM FROM THE FACTORY TO THE CONSUMER.
RETAIL STRATEGY: DESIGNED FOR MULT-SKU PROGRAMS. SEASONAL COLOR UPDATES TO REFRESH ASSORTMENT. OPTIMIZED FOR CLUB STORE VOLUMES.
THE OUTCOME: SOLD IN COSTCO US AND COSTCO MEXICO RETAIL STORES. EXPANDED ACROSS COLORWAYS AND HANDLE VARIATIONS. SUSTAINED OVER MULTIPLE SEASONS. EXPANDED THE PRODUCT LINE TO INCLUDE A HAMPER BODY.
KEY TAKEAWAY: MATERIAL INNOVATION, WHEN PAIRED WITH MANUFACTURING COLLABORATION, CAN TRANSFORM THE MOST FAMILIAR PRODUCT INTO SOMETHING COMMERCIALLY COMPELLING.
