db clay is a fashion accessory label that specializes in unique, concept driven designer wallets that we aptly call pocket art. After hand-making wallets for nearly a decade, we officially launched our new line as a manufactured solution to our previously 100% hand-made crafts. Our foundation is built on gifts, family, technology and our story, therefore, we want to provide wallets that you are proud to own and inevitably talk about with friends and strangers.
ENTREPRENEUR: Principal player in bringing multiple products to market and growing grassroots brand to serve over 500 retail accounts; resulting in international presence and global distribution.
CREATIVE CONTENT: Primary copywriter and editor for all marketing materials including catalogs, flyers, instructional manuals, company newsletter and company website. Intimately involved in design, collaboration and development of brand, all products and subsequent marketing efforts for all varieties of media, including print and digital.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT / PRODUCER: Worked directly with third-party designers and printers in managing overall production and distribution of marketing materials and product packaging.
OPERATIONS: Oversaw all operations; inventories, production schedules, manufacturing, quality control, imports and exports, shipping and receiving and cultivation of offshore manufacturing relations.
DB CLAY LIFE LESSONS
ENTREPRENEURSHIP, BRANDING, MARKETING, RESILIENCY and CONTENT
Start-up. Self-motivation. Business on a budget. Grassroots marketing. Fake it ’til you make it. Hand-made wares. Calluses. Off-shore manufacturing. Operations. Lean and mean. Cold mornings at Saturday Market. Humility. Long days at fashion trade shows. Countless conversations with strangers. Sales. Storytelling in product design. Brotherhood. Tears. Content is King.
DB CLAY WALLETS
PRODUCT DESIGN, MARKETING and STORYTELLING
AKA the Duct Tape Wallet Guys. Despite the fact that our company’s roots were in duct tape, we eventually graduated into the use of more advanced textiles. In these latter years, we designed and released several cohesive products lines known as Versions, as well as, a brimming gallery of one-of-a-kind pocket art we called Puzzle.
Each piece told a story — and people were drawn to the wallet that told theirs best.
myDUCTBILLS KIT
INSTRUCTIONAL MANUAL and COMMERCIAL PACKAGING
We estimate that we made over 30,000 duct tape wallets by hand. So, when the time came when we were no longer making them, we created this “make your own duct tape wallet” kit to extend the grassroots legacy.
Under the banner of db clay, I wrote this instructional manual, helped direct the design of the packaging and brought the myDuctbills product to market. This product was eventually sold through major national retailers, such as Urban Outfitters.
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