Meet Victor Wan of Kulör Cases

Kulör Cases is a luxury leather iPhone case maker. Their business is based in Sweden. Our interview today is with the company CEO, Victor Wan, who works alongside the Swedish designer Ingrid Andersson. Learn more by visiting https://kulorcases.com.

1. What inspired you to start Kulör Cases?

I previously worked in the IT and telecom industry for 14 years. All along I wanted to do something that could combine my interest in gadgets, my love for minimalist designs, and sense of achievement from helping my clients. And it all began in 2017 when I decided to start my own brand that makes luxury personalized leather iPhone cases alongside the Swedish designer Ingrid Andersson. We wanted to become a part of our customers’ special moments. This dream was fulfilled when our first customer of the company was an astronaut who ordered a phone case for himself as well as for his wife for the celebration of the birth of their twins.

2. What makes your cases unique?

Regarding materials, we wanted something classy but also something that would age well. Leather was the perfect option. Then came the issue of the design. Most leather cases are mono toned, all black, all brown, all blue, etc. We wanted a minimalist design that would not cover the beautiful iPhone but to complement it... This led to the decision of a multi-colored and colorful case design. Secondly, we didn't want the cases to be a source of branding for us because the cases should be about the users. Therefore we designed not to put our company logo on the case. Lastly, we decided for personalization so people could have their names, initials, or something special foil stamped on the phone case. Our phone cases represent our customers' true character and identity.

Because of the special multi-colored design, our craftsmen have to work on two different cowhide leathers, and that increases the complexity. But we are a luxury brand, and we won't do anything less than the best.

3. There are a lot of iPhone case makers. What makes you different from them in terms of craftsmenship?

Our iPhone cases are handcrafted. The products we make are all about the customers which is why we don't incorporate a company logo on our cases. What makes us different is that our utmost goal is to satisfy our customers. We pay close attention to minute details. For example, most leather cases are made by gluing leather sheets on top of plastic bases. The sides of the plastic are visible, which doesn't give a neat look. We keep that in mind and make sure the corners and sides are all covered in leather.

Our craftsmen spend three times the amount of time that it takes on one regular case. It is all because of our commitment to providing the best of the best.

4. Could you describe some of the options for people who want to customize their phone case?

Our customers could choose from a wide collection of colorful cases. We have 10 different color combinations for each of our iPhone 7, iPhone 8, iPhone 7 Plus, and iPhone 7 Plus collections. As for customization, we offer three different fonts namely Park Avenue, JosefinSans and Althea that could be embossed in gold, silver, or rose gold foil. To ensure quality craftsmanship, we use a traditional hand operated hot stamping machine to imprint the leather cases with initials, names, monogram, or something special.

We also have a live personalization tool on our website so that our customers could preview what they are customizing and order with confidence.

5. In your opinion, why is vegetable tanned top-grain leather the best material for a phone case?

First of all, vegetable tanned leather does not contain harmful chemicals (vs chromium and aldehyde tanning), and it ages perfectly and delivers a better look for your phone case through time. Second of all, top-grain leather is the most premium hide material. It is the surface of full-grain leather that has not been removed or heavily sanded, preserving the natural qualities of an authentic leather hide. Most cheaper cases in the market uses "split leather" or "genuine leather." They are made from the inner layers that are underneath the top-grain and are embossed with an artificial grain pattern.

You will never find split leather, bonded, or even imitation leathers products at Kulör Cases.

Thanks, Victor!

Meet Adam Schneider, Certified Sommelier and CEO of Say It On Wine

Adam Schneider is a Certified Sommelier living and working in the heart of Napa Valley. His business, Say It On Wine, offers a unique, personalized, affordable gift for any occasion: any message or image engraved on any wine bottle or glass. Check out the ideas for holiday gifts and other special occasions.

1. How did you come up with the idea for Say It On Wine?

Everyone in Napa walks around with bottles of wine, purchased from cherished wineries, but unless they get shipped home, empty memories are tossed in the recycle bin. Taking note from something I learned working the NY wine market, I saw a need across Napa that was not being addressed. And Say It On Wine was born.

2. How does your engraving process work?

We use a laser engraving system, which allows us to engrave quickly and for a reasonable price. It also give us the ability to add images or logos along with any amount of text that can comfortably fit on the bottle.

3. What is the process for someone who wants to create a one of a kind engraving, with their own text and image?

We suggest customers contact us directly at info@sayitonwine com. Once we get an idea of what a customer is looking for, we will work with them to get the design just right. When they are 100% satisfied, we will charge them and get started right away on their order. Orders are generally delivered or shipped the same day the order is placed.

4. In addition to wine bottles, are there other items you engrave?

While we mainly work on 750ml wine bottles or smaller, we also work on and sell a variety of wine, beer, and specialty glassware. We have also engraved candles, vases, and decanters.

5. What is your advice to other entrepreneurs who are interested in building a business related to the wine industry?

There are a lot of different aspects to the wine business, so everyone from dreamers to investors can find something that they enjoy and are good at. I started in the wine business 15 years ago and had the chance to experience different aspects before deciding on what I wanted to do. Others may not have that liberty, but there are many options.

Thanks, Adam!

Introducing Custom Made Baseball Caps from HeartJacking

HeartJacking is a company which got its start when a young entrepreneur from France had the idea to sell clothing made with electroluminescent material created through fiber optics. The results are some very cool custom-made baseball caps.

If you're into clubbing and partying, imagine having a customized hat that lights up in the dark. You can choose from a variety of colors in selecting the hat and accents you want, and you can choose the text that you want to have on the cap. If you have a nickname, for example, this would be a great way to have a unique item that would allow your friends to recognize you right away, even in a darkened room.

You can start with a specific theme as the base for your hat. Themes include sports (such as NY Yankees hats), music, and ganja. You can also choose different shapes and styles for your cap, such as mesh, snapback, closed back, and so on. Really there are a lot of options given on the site, and if you have questions, be sure to contact the company directly.

HeartJacking prides itself on being a small company with top-notch customer service. Their hats have caught the eye of a many different entertainers including Cee-Lo, Ice Cube, and Katy Perry. They also make some other items such as light up masks and helmets. If you've always imagined having your own LED headgear, HeartJacking is definitely worth checking out.

Meet Giles of T-Shirt Studio, A Personalized T-Shirt Printing Company

T-Shirt Studio is a company that prints personalized t-shirts and other gifts and garments. The people at T-Shirt Studio take pride in their great customer service, fantastic quality garments, and online design system which is groundbreaking and improving daily. The staff are also very proud of their customer reviews, which are almost exclusively 5-star reviews.

Our interview is with Giles, who says, "I suppose I don't really have a job title. I used to do all the preparation of the customers' t-shirt designs for printing onto the t-shirts, mugs, etc. Now I just do some of the more challenging print material, and I've moved onto other things such as our online marketing and helping to maintain the site. A lot of my time currently goes into helping to develop our t-shirt print preview, which we're adapting to be more realistic. We altering the customers' design so it follows the shape of the t-shirt using CGI. It's only used on a few products right now, but we're introducing it to a new product every week. It's great fun and varied work."

1. How does your site allow people without specialized design know-how to create unique t-shirts?

You'd be amazed how many people just want a couple of large words printed onto a t-shirt. That's easy. And the site allows you to print colored borders in different styles, and metallic text, etc. You can also upload an image for printing. This is the best way of getting exactly what you want: uploading a complete design exactly how you want it, but as you say that requires some design skills. There's two alternatives really. One is to use one of the many personalized templates on the site. There's plenty to chose from. Our most popular right now is the personalized Keep Calm T-Shirt design. You can change the text and the crown icon. It's great fun. The other way is to just ask us to help. We have a box where you can write instructions. We don't mind helping you get your t-shirt design just right and we don't charge extra.

2. What types of image files can be uploaded to use on your site, and how high does the resolution need to be?

The online design software allows you to upload any image format onto the t-shirt, mug, etc. Vector formats (eps, pdf etc) are best, but we're happy working with any format--however, it needs be big if you're printing a t-shirt. Don't assume a big image is a good quality image. The most effective way is to actually take a good look at an image on a large screen and make sure that it looks good. That all sounds a bit weak, but it's the simple reality. The exact print dimensions for our adult t-shirts are 28 x 37 centimeters at 300 pixels per inch, which is 3307 x 4368 pixels.

Most importantly though, we never print a bad image, so if it's no good for printing, we'll let you know so you can change it.

3. What kinds of tees can people create and buy on your site, and what customizable products do you sell in addition to t-shirts?

Our range is currently growing because we're adding a value range to complement our current premium quality garments. We currently have 8 styles of men's t-shirts and 9 women's styles, each available in up to 27 colors, plus kids and babies styles. There are polo shirts, hoodies--zip and standard (the two tone ones are gorgeous!)--sweatshirts, fleeces, and rugby shirts. We do a large range of gifts (too many to explain here) and some fantastic and popular embroidered accessories such as baseball caps, beanies, and scarves. The t-shirts can be printed or embroidered, and also many have a diamante option.

4. What response have you received from customers so far, and are your customers from all over the world?

Every customer gets directed to our review facility after they receive their product. The reviews for each product are displayed on the relevant design page on our site. We've been over the moon with the response. Sometimes I think it must seem that we only show the 5 star reviews because they are almost all 5 stars, but I promise the reviews are handled by an independent company and the feed that appears on the site isn't messed with. It's great that we've had such positive feedback, but we also pay close attention to any that aren't positive. We've recently totally changed how we present sizing information for garments based solely on feedback via the review system.

5. Could you offer a few tips that people can use to create a great original design for their t-shirts?

Try out some of our templates. There's plenty of them and one is bound to meet your needs. Also, don't forget that if you come up with something from the heart, it's bound to be unique. You can do some amazing stuff just using our text tool that allows some great styling options to make your text really pop. Remember to keep text short so it's larger. People often try to say to much on a t-shirt, but it needs to be legible. If you want to use graphics, make sure they're free from copyright, which most stuff on the internet isn't. Type public domain images, or open source graphics, or free clip art or any combination of the above and you'll find things you can use. Most of all just have fun. You can play with the designer all you like without having to register an account or anything, so just check out all the options on the online designer and have some fun with it.

Thanks, Giles!