Redefining the Ordinary: The Adirondack Chair
When a major retailer needed a steady supply of private-label Adirondack chairs, we fulfilled their domestic production needs, leading the way to a more cost-effective partnership. But it didn’t stop there.
What could have been a simple manufacturing contract quickly became an opportunity to add simple improvements to an iconic design. After our usual innovating and iterating, we landed on an updated Adirondack chair with reinforced construction, enhanced features, and stackability for ultra-efficient shipping.
The Problem
The Adirondack Chair Before Kreate
Our retail partner first approached us looking for a private-label Adirondack chair that could readily and reliably reach their stores. And while there was nothing wrong with the original Adirondack chair they’d been selling, we saw all the ways the product could benefit from modern supply chain strategies and innovative design.
The Solution
The Adirondack Chair After Kreate
We started by offering a scalable, affordable way to manufacture and ship the existing design, but soon seized the opportunity to overhaul and improve the final form. In the end, we didn’t just bring our ingenuity and a made-in-America label to a well-loved design—we made it more profitable. More efficient to ship and more enjoyable to sit in, our reconfigured Adirondack chair has become a front-porch favorite for our retail partner and their end customers.
The Process
How We Kreate
Product Feasibility
It Starts With Research
Once we decided to improve the design of the Adirondack chair, we worked to understand our customer’s pain points and make them disappear. By combing through reviews and examining comparable products, we developed the basis for an updated model. While we took inspiration from existing well-received models, we still worked to identify and solve prevalent problems, including reports of the swing-out cup holder snapping off.
Design & Engineering
The Vision Takes Shape
Next, we brought our concept to life. For our updated chair, we added load-bearing ribs in critical areas to support the back legs and the arms, then modernized the design with a sturdy, integrated cup holder and smartphone holder, and a more universally comfortable backrest.
Prototyping & Testing
Iterating Ideas
To make sure our chair design would meet industry-standard load limit requirements, we leveraged finite element analysis (FEA), a software modeling approach that accurately predicts a material’s behavior. Between these computer models and our in-depth physical testing process, we moved quickly but safely from the iterative phase to a finalized design, landing on an increasingly sturdy chair.
Tooling & Manufacturing
Bringing the Design to Life
With a product design that satisfied everyone involved, we turned to our extensive partnership network to secure sustainable materials and high-end tooling that would last. And because of our exhaustive testing and prototyping phases, the first round of finished chairs came out problem-free. In a relatively short time frame, our improved Adirondack chair was ready for a full-scale production run—right here at home.
Logistics Optimization
Handling Packing and Shipping
To optimize the shipping and storage processes, we designed and molded a shipping tray that allowed more packaged chairs to fit into each truck and looked appealing when displayed at the storefront. Through an in-depth logistics study, we doubled the number of products going into every container—from 26 to 54—leading to a significant reduction in shipping expenses for our retail partner.
Marketing & Management
Driving Product Sales
We created the product, so we understood how best to market it. Through comprehensive brand development, professional photography and videography, and a proactive incentivization program developed to elicit customer reviews, we helped renew interest in a century-old chair design. And by further analyzing the sell-through rate, we continued to find new ways to market the upgraded Adirondack chair and drive retail traffic.
The Outcome
The Project’s Impact
Through the iteration and innovation we’ve come to be known for, we helped our major retail partner identify and solve more problems than they came to us with. Beyond streamlining domestic manufacturing to guarantee affordability and product availability, we also improved the initial design, making the chair sturdier and easier to ship without sacrificing the integrity of the original or its healthy profit margins.
By the Numbers:
30%
The year-over-year increase in stores stocking our new chair
780
The total number of store locations carrying the product (with more to come)
But What About “Brand”?
Well, what about it? While some might argue that brand recognition reigns supreme (and therefore, puts us at a disadvantage when infiltrating an existing category), our market research tells a different story: consumers care about the product, not the people behind it. They’re looking for 5-star reviews, better features, a more affordable price point, and improved value. That’s something “brand” can never replace, and it’s exactly what we bring to the table.
The Chair is Just the Beginning
Our pursuit of an upgraded Adirondack chair is only half of the story. After seeing how effectively we could modernize a classic chair, we followed up with a never-before-seen Adirondack bench design that’s enjoyed massive success in stores. Now, customers can enjoy a coordinated family of Adirondack products in their backyards, designed for cohesion.
Transforming Ideas into Innovations
Whether you have an inkling of an idea or a concept for a completed product, our veteran team of project managers, engineers, and branding experts can help bring it to life using quality, sustainably-molded plastic.