Ray was born out of the desire to create a line of affordable cat products that not only work great for cats, but also have significant modern design appeal for their owners. In a world where “design” usually means adding lots of unwanted cost to a product, the major challenge on this project was to work within standard, low-cost manufacturing practices and still create a product with the desired level of beauty and functionality.
Ray was the first result of this initiative. The main structure is made from a single piece of thick felt, stamped into shape in a single low-cost operation. Built into this one shape are all the fasteners that hold the structure together when folded, eliminating the need for any hardware fasteners, and greatly reducing the amount of sewing typically required. The resulting shape of the unfolded felt even inspired the product’s name as it resembled that of a manta ray.
When assembled, the stiffness of the felt gives Ray a gentle flowing appearance that is both modern and inviting. Small but important details round out the design appeal: a light-colored neutral grey felt blends effortlessly with nearly any modern décor, and a color contrasting felt tab holds the top together for a fun yet subtle pop of color. The cushion has a different color on each side letting the user pick their favorite or change their look over time. The result is a beautiful product with a low cost to manufacture that easily rolls up for e-commerce drop shipping.
Ray is available for purchase at wiskicat.com and amazon.com