CRATES — Storage made in America

Crates is a modular storage and furniture system based on the age-old milk crate. Submitted by Jenny Drinkard, an Industrial Design graduate from Georgia Tech, Crates became both Quirky’s first product to be manufactured in the US and the quickest product to market, going from idea to shipping in under 100 days. The development of Crates was one of the biggest challenges in Quirky history. Not only was the deadline to begin shipping set at 100 days, but it was also determined that Crates were going to be manufactured entirely in the United States, with the mold coming from a toolmaker in New Jersey being used for final production in Vermont.

Created at Quirky, NYC

DESIGNING CRATES

Development began with our design and engineering teams working together to determine the most structurally sound design for the crate. Once the design was finalized, the Quirky Community was invited to help determine which accessories would be manufactured and sold. The product was launched exclusively on Fab.com and soon after had dedicated endcaps at Target and The Container Store.

MADE IN AMERICA

L&Z Tooling & Manufacturing in Watchung, NJ, was awarded the project and responsible for producing the tools for Crates and various accessories. The 5-ton tool was then transported to Arlington, VT, where Crates were manufactured by injection molding experts at Mack Molding.

TEACHING THE TEAM

The Quirky staff had an average age of 26. As part of the process, the entire company team embarked on a field trip to Vermont to witness the manufacturing of Crates firsthand and gain a deeper understanding of the production process.

MARKETING + SELLING CRATES

Retailing Crates posed challenges as consumers needed to see the entire system to understand its functionality. Some stores displayed accessories without the Crates, leading to confusion. Online sales were more successful, allowing us to showcase instructional videos and lifestyle content. The well-designed shipping containers were sometimes mistaken as the product, requiring us to add stickers clarifying the actual contents inside.