Client: Weller
Services: Branding, strategy, naming, product design, logo design, creative direction, graphic design, web design, marketing
About Weller: Designed and manufactured in Idaho, Weller makes classic adventure travel gear meant to withstand the heaviest of use. Their unprecedented “Lifer Warranty” converts customers to brand lifers with a warranty other bag manufacturers wouldn’t dare offer.
Creative Direction: Kelly Dee Williams
Graphic Design: Nathan Warner, Kelly Dee Williams
Product Design: Josh McDonald, Levi Jones, Jacob Bottles, Kelly Dee Williams, Robert Brownfield
Videography: Dorian Warneck, Person People
Photography: Paul Bellinger, Adam Chin, Connor Bunderson, Jordon Basurto, Jimmie Aimerito
It’s no secret that the overwhelming majority of products are manufactured internationally, especially when it comes to textile products and outdoor gear. With so many brands sourcing production overseas for reduced labor costs, America’s industrial sewing facilities have struggled to stay afloat for nearly half a century.
But domestic manufacturing is a special thing, especially when artistry and quality are the primary goals of the manufacturer. This was the case with Worry-Free Manufacturing (WFM), a family-owned contract manufacturer based in Boise, Idaho. WFM prioritizes traditional craftsmanship combined with state-of-the-art materials and sewing techniques in their contract manufacturing business, providing great jobs to a talented team of seamsters, designers and engineers.
Despite already having a successful business that sews trustworthy gear for well-known brands, WFM wanted to design and develop a new product collection that featured all of the top-shelf fabrics and innovative construction methods that their manufacturing clientele might be able to implement. In other words, they wanted to sew high-end product that showcased what their quaint US-based factory was fully capable of.
With this in mind, they approached Superbase for assistance in creating their own house brand, designing a series of bags tailored for a premium market, and planning a go-to-market strategy that would help them gain authentic notoriety in the adventure luggage and EDC markets.
“Of the many projects that Superbase has worked on, Weller encompasses nearly all of our core services.
From brand naming to product design to go-to-market strategy, we enjoy the challenge and excitement of
being involved with many aspects of helping to grow a business from the very beginning.”
Naming
The beginning of Weller’s brand journey began with Superbase being tasked with designing the first product collection while simultaneously creating the name and brand identity for WFM’s first house label. After exploring approximately 15 different names, Weller (or Weller Goods) was chosen due to its strength and simplicity, values that closely aligned with the vision for the brand.
The Weller name stands to represent not just another product, but a reliable companion to epic, lifelong adventures.
Brand Identity
To create the visual identity, we instantly began designing for the most important aspect of branding for a bag company: the woven label adorning each and every product. The Weller logo was created with the intention of giving the brand a recognizable, almost familiar aesthetic- hearkening to the simple branding of some of the classic American and European outdoor brands we all grew up depending on.
The iconic Weller Red color provides a bold, unapologetic accent to marketing materials and offers just the right amount of subtle vividness to the stealth-black product.
Product Design
Superbase collaborated closely with the head product engineers at Weller to develop the debut collection: a thoughtful assortment of adventure travel bags and accessories with a focus on durability and timeless style.
We knew there was already an endless assortment of bags in the market from well-established brands, but they are almost all fraught with the same maddening problems: The straps rip after only a few months, the zippers break, and the compartments aren’t the right size. It’s almost as if backpacks are supposed to be disposable nowadays. Most bag companies follow the same formula: Add as many pockets as possible… and then add some more. But we believe too many pockets is worse than not having enough. A good bag has just a few of the right pockets in the right place. Each Weller bag was designed with this in mind.
Unparalleled attention to detail is one of the many ways Weller differs from the competition.
“Having our own brand is a way to secure this culture that we’ve
built at Worry-Free Manufacturing. And that’s exciting.”
– Josh McDonald, Weller Goods