Turn product-design skill into your own small hardware brand by pre-selling one hero tool

Who pays and why

Buyers are mostly individual consumers who like everyday-carry gear: compact multitools, knives and small tools they carry daily or take camping, cycling or travelling. They pay for considered design, unusual materials, a small size and a lifetime warranty rather than for the lowest price; items sit at roughly $15 to $120. A second, smaller group of buyers are other brands: the business offers co-branded and bespoke products and shows one collaboration with firearm-accessory brands. The founder says the first product came from research into the everyday-carry market rather than from a personal frustration, which is a useful reminder that a design-led product still has to be aimed at a group already spending money in a category.