Howies are an outdoors lifestyle brand based in rural Wales that specializes in manufacturing quality men’s and women’s clothing. They are a brand that believes in quality and making a product in a low-impact way that is good for the environment. This sustainable approach means their t-shirts, sweatshirts and jeans are produced using organic cotton where possible, as well as using best practice for all of their manufacturing.
Carter Wong design have worked with howies for over 15 years, and throughout that time they have witnessed the brand expand and retain its consumer base at an impressive rate. They have collaborated with the brand on many projects throughout the years, from creating a point of sale display using discarded wardrobes to crafting a wood carved typeface for the brands many marketing activities, and relish their current role as brand guardians.
In collaboration with Carter Wong, howies have honed their distinctive tone of voice across multiple touch-points, making this a crucial part of their brand equity. However, howies recently decided their in-store and e-commerce packaging was sadly lacking the memorable, quirky and witty language the brand has vocalized since its inception. With this in mind, Carter Wong design were briefed to re-design howies packaging to tell more of a story about the brand and its values.
Often e-commerce packaging is deemed of low importance, as brands see it simply as a vehicle to get a product from A to B, which means it typically receives very basic design treatments, and this in itself poses a lost design opportunity. However, Carter Wong design were keen to tap into this under-utilized channel by creating unique e-commerce wraps that expounded howies unique ethos. Understanding that the packaging for goods purchased over the Internet can pave the way for a positive purchasing experience, Carter Wong aimed to design a packaging range that met the specific needs of this retail environment and the challenges it faces.
