Roadtrips have a special place in America’s heart, and we’d take any excuse to get behind the wheel. So did the team at Shaveface, purveyors of American Made strops (yeah, we needed a dictionary too) who hit up Detroit, Chicago, and Atlanta, to name a few. Here’s how they got their show on the road.
Roadtrippin’: how did Shaveface grow from being on the road?
To us, domestic production means that we get to visit the people and places responsible for bringing our products to life. That story only gets richer when you can truly appreciate those that helped bring it to you, and the places that those people call home. So, that’s what the road trip was to us. We wanted to better understand and be part of what it takes to bring the Strop from different places across America to your bathroom.
Let’s chat about the return of the strop.
The “American heritage” angle matched the aesthetic we wanted, and also opened us up to a larger audience- beyond people who already knew what a Strop was. There’s a wonderful movement in America right now where people appreciate that sturdy, useful goods are an important part of American history. It’s been a lot of fun to try and capture this classic look, quality and utility, and mesh it with a modern design and purpose.
What were the biggest hurdles to getting started?
We used Kickstarter, and there’s nothing like knowing that someone, somewhere in the world, wants you to succeed. It’s an incredible opportunity to learn as you go, extremely fast. The most challenging thing was manufacturing and sourcing. We’ve got it all figured out now, many thanks to Maker’s Row, but we should have included an experienced team sooner. We’re also really uncompromising in the quality of materials that we work with, and that made things harder. But no regrets there at all. The product turned out better than we had ever hoped.
How do you guys get creative inspo?
@James: Finds as many influences and opinions as possible before making a decision, and has conversations to hit all different sides.
@Casey: Is definitely more of the routine type. Each week, he uses a legal pad to lay out priorities. When unexpected tasks hit, he can refer back to stay on track.
@Tim: Works methodically, lining up numbers and putting out the fires that butt into his workflow.
When it comes to larger vision planning, we put our heads together and develop long term goals in a methodical, month-to-month plan.
Why did you choose Made in America?
It’s funny. There was never any debate about it. We admire so many companies that manufacture here and wanted to work with them, and also follow their example by making products by hand, and making them to last. There are so many hardworking people in this country with incredible skills and colorful stories. Manufacturing in America means an opportunity to get to know them, work with them, and share in all that this country is capable of.
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