In the first step of creating a cohesive collection, I talked about looking for and going wild with finding inspiration. Now that you have you ideas all sorted, laid out on a big inspiration board, it's time to plan the next step.
It could be a type of fabric like cotton, leather or felt, or it could be metals, clay, gem stones, taking photographs, or even creating digital products.
It's really important to know every inch and specific detail about the material you use. The different versions of it, it's composition, and all of the amazing ways it can be used to create your incredible collection. Having a great understanding and a passion for your material will become part of "your story", and also very prepared when customers ask questions.
In my Tiges and Weince collection, it's primarily all about cotton. But I also use matte card for printing & MDF wood for clocks. I LOVE cotton for it's natural hand feel, it's softness on the skin, it's breathability, it's sturdiness to create decor products from it, it's washability, which is brilliant from a care perspective, and also because it has a low fire danger. This is essential for my brand as my products are predominantly directed towards children's. It also is perfect for printing on, which is vital as my illustration are my entire business.
examples of cottons I use
It is really important that you choose products that you are passionate about, and a base you know you will continue to use as your business grows. It really is lovely if you can be known for the fabrics/materials you use. For example, my customers know I create children's decor & are aware I used 100% cotton. They could become quite confused if they came to my shop for a printed cushions or decor, to find that everything was now being knitted, or I was printing on leather. Consistency is essential.
However sticking with your chosen main materials doesn't mean you can not experiment with anything else, it would be crazy not to! I am also starting to introduce linen into my collection (soon), which is working well as it's another natural fibre.
Having a material that is a dominant factor in your collection is another step closer to it becoming far more cohesive from a visual perspective.
Have you chosen a primary material for your collection? I would love to know what it is :)
Missed the other steps? Find them here.
If you are loving this series please share this information, thank you x
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