Franklin Lade
Franklin Lade is a brand specializing in durable, eco-friendly kitchenware, focusing on functional design and sustainability. Founded by a former chemical engineer, the company emphasises solutions for everyday kitchen needs - particularly leakproof and versatile food containers.
The founder approach me to develop a complete visual identity for the brand, from the logo through to the product packaging, e-commerce website and marketing materials.
Envisaging a new brand
The previous packaging and branding was bland and non distinct. I knew the brand would come across with a premium and minimal feel. I created a guiding moodboard with a muted colour palette featuring off-white, charcoal grey, steely blues and a contrasting peach tone.
The tagline
The brand’s tagline Precision Engineered Kitchenware came to me during my discovery session with Sade. Initially she was unsure about having her own story as a central part of the brand’s narrative, but once she was able to see the power of this story for the brand, on the website and for future press coverage, she was completely onboard.
A new logo concept
As the brand was already trading, I was initially briefed to simply improve on an existing logo.
I always think it is well worth constructively challenging clients, so I also presented a new logo concept using the shape of the containers to inspire an abstract brand mark.
The client loved the idea, and we centred the entire visual identity on the concept of these modular shapes.
Art direction
Something else that Sade described during our discovery was her pursuit for minimal products, and more specifically chic black kitchenware rather than colourful gadgets.
I always seek ways in which we can make a product stand out from its competitors, and this statement lay the foundation – instead of going for the usual bright and colourful styling of most other food prep brands, we would opt for a distinct darker aesthetic.
We came across a photographer whose style fit the brief perfectly – award-winning photographer Karen Thomas – and shot the range over 3 shoots at her studio.
Sustainability
One of our biggest challenges with the packaging was knowing it had to protect glass items in transit, while also wanting to eliminate the use of plastic or polystyrene.
We found a solution by using recycled paper to prevent scratching, honeycomb kraft paper to cushion the glass and carefully measured boxes to avoid excess movement within.
The packaging is completely recyclable, plastic free, and uses FSC certified mixed recycled materials.
Packaging
With my designer, we created a suite of boxes for the product range, utilising the different shades from the brand’s colour palette, and each featuring a variant of the main brand emblem. We also designed tissue paper for the packaging of the glass jars, alongside a front opening box to give the recipient a positive unboxing experience.
Website
I wireframed the key pages for the best UX. I then designed the site, page by page, and oversaw the build using the Shopify platform and a developer.
The site also includes bespoke features such as a ‘Carbon Calculator’ which shows customers precisely how much carbon has been offset for each item they add to their basket. Why not take a look for yourself?
