Table Of Contents
Introduction
Vision & Mission
Values & USP
Target Group
Consumer Identity
Consumer Habits
Price & Promotion
Product
Design
Materials
Material Recipes
Packaging
Place
Positioning Matrix
Brand DNA Board
Communications Plan
Communication Guidelines
The onyx styone, rugged and unyielding, stands as a testament to defiance, symbolic of resilience, resistance and rootedness in the face of oppression. It’s enduring strength mirrors the unwavering spirit of anarchists, who defy the status quo and fight for liberation.
Onyx stands out from the crowd as a brand that stands with you and your beliefs. We are not afraid to be outspoken about how our actions impact our environment
Mission
We are up front with you about our process from start to finish. Our team creates the highest quality biodegradable leather for your shoes. We do our research! (so should you)
Vision
Transparency
We are honest in our ethics and process of making our products
Respect
We believe that all beings deserve to be treated how you, yourself would like to be treated.
Blunt
Straight-forward with our beliefs and approach in our work. Loud and proud.
Unique Selling Proposition Values
Discover our eco-friendly, handcrafted shoes that prioritize comfort and honesty. Learn about our sustainable materials.
WEAR WHAT YOU STAND FOR
Target Group
We are conscious that every decision has an impact on our environment. All animals, no matter the level of intelligence, deserve respect and a chance at life.
My purpose is to fight for those with no voice. Take a walk in their shoes. We stand together as one, all around the world, fighting and standing up for the same reasons. The wildlife around is dwindling, through extinction from greed and power. 88% of the surface of the sea is polluted with plastic. We must be the change we want to see in the world. Help conserve the environment we still have around us.
Everything That I buy. I think how many uses I can get out of it and if the quality of the product is durable. I want it to last.
A natural vegetarian diet is part of my journey in sticking to what I believe. We come from nature. I value connection and kindness. As David Attenborough has said “We moved from being a part of nature to being apart from nature.”
Environmentalist
Target Group
Consumer Identity
Everyday is a new day to learn and connect more with our natural surroundings. A 15 minute meditation in the morning, brings on a clear mind.Personal grooming is simple and natural, organic soap mainly. Their wardrobe consists of rugged, eco-friendly attire, often sourced from thrift stores or reworked from sustainable materials like hemp and organic cotton. A vanilla soy yoghurt with granola and chia seeds is the start to a productive day. Before a cycle to work at a local nonprofit organisation.
They carry a backpack filled with essentials, such as reusable water bottles, trail mix, and biodegradable toiletries, for spontaneous road trips, out to protesting events.
Social media is a form of communication. We spread the word to upcoming debates and protests on instagram. To educate and make others see whats happening in the world. It’s a tool. They find fulfillment in real-world connections through common interests and events, like volunteering at a soup-kitchen to attending a poetry slam.
To make an impact in notoriety of the cause. A Bold performative statement is a must. The chaining of ourselves to a historical landmark per say. In light of it being torn down for corporate gain. Is now the only way to get our point across. Be Heard. Be Proud. Be Loud.
Consumer Habits
Moodboard
Price Promotion
€250 - €500
The price range for our products may seem a bit expensive or over the top, but we invest time and energy in the making of our products. Our shoes are made from biodegradable leather and by our skilled shoemakers. The process of making the leather and the shoes requires time, care and attention. The end product is a result of the long process of making everything from scratch, hence the prices of our products.
The focus for our promotional events are limited to social media platforms such as Instagram, our website and our app. Because we are a brand devoted to sustainability, biodegradability and the awareness about what's happening in the world, we want to use our digital platforms to further educate, update and provide. The platforms such as Instagram and the website will be used to educate about our sourcing, process and updates. The app will be used by the consumers to share, exchange and update each other about what is currently happening in the world.
Product
Our products are unisex with a size range of : 36 - 46
The shoes are made entirely out of 100% natural and biodegradable leather. There exists a myriad of options for the materials, but we chose to focus on Mycelium leather (mushroom), Seaweed leather and Dandelion rubber. Every material is carefully harvested from start to finish and then 'molded' into the design of the shoes.
The concept of making biodegradable shoes may sound different, but we guarantee that the shoes last a minimum of 5 years; and with good care and love, they can last up to 10 years
Mycelium leather Seawead leather Dandelion Rubber Kombucha leather
Design
Multi-purpose rope
Bottle cap
Dandelion Rubber
Onyx stone
Materials
Mylo (mushroom) leather
Mylo is a sustainable leather alternative that is made from mycelium. Mycelium is the root-like system of mushrooms, the technical explanation for it is ' a network of thin fungal strands called hyphae.' Mylo works great as an alternative because it offers the feel and look of leather without the negative impacts on animals and the environment. Another great quality of Mylo is that it can grow fast with a 2 week period or longer within a 2 month period. Lastly mycelium is highly durable, can resist fading, colour tarnishing and can handle water/ sweat exposure.
Seaweed leather
Seaweed leather is made by using a natural fiber in seaweed called cellulose. This fiber is responsible for the making of a soft and breathable leather material. The seaweed is safely harvested by cutting it from the root leaving a 5 to 20cm piece attached for a new regrowth. Some great attributes about seaweed leather is how it can protect you from the sun and is also durable. The durability is stronger than synthetic fibers and becomes stronger when wet. This is a proof of how water resistant the leather is.
Mycelium leather process
Gather items: Agricultural waste and mycelium culture
Sterilize: The agricultural waste
Inoculate: Mix mycelium culture with the substrate.
Incubate: Let mycelium grow in a dark, humid environment until it forms a dense foam.
Harvest Foam: Remove the solid mycelium foam from the container.
Flatten: Press the foam into a flat sheet.
Dry: Allow the sheet to dry completely on a drying rack.
Seaweed leather process
Blend Seaweed: If using dried seaweed, rehydrate first.
Blend seaweed (or agar/carrageenan) with water until smooth.
Cook Mixture: Heat the blend in a pot with additional water (1 cup water per 2 tbsp seaweed). Stir until thick.
Add Honey: Stir in 1 tbsp honey per 2 tbsp seaweed.
Strain & Spread: Use a sieve or cheesecloth to remove lumps. Pour onto a non-stick sheet, spreading to about 1-2 mm thick.
Dry: Let dry for several hours to days, using a dehydrator if desired.
Finish: Peel off and cut into shapes as needed.
Materials
Dandelion rubber
The Russian dandelion has the ability to produce a natural rubber that is similar to that of rubber trees. They're a sustainable alternative because of how accessible and easy they are to plant, grow and maintain. Dandelions take far less water and soil to maintain resulting in a reduction in the environmental impacts.
Dandelion rubber is made with the focus on tires making its durability strong and long lasting.
Kombucha Leather
The kombucha leather is yet another bio-material alternative to leather. It is made from cellulose nanofibrils spun by bacteria and yeast. The material grows thicker overtime and can result in a paper thin material or as thick as leather. Kombucha leather can be used as traditional materials or can be molded around durin its drying process, giving it the possibility to retain shape. The Kombucha leather is made by using the cellulose tissue SCOBY (bacterial culture), mixed with water, tea, sugar and yeast. The fermentation period is what later becomes the leather.
Dandelion tyre process
Grind Roots: Place dried dandelion roots in mortar.
Grind with pestle for 5–10 minutes until powder forms.
Remove Particles: Use tweezers to pick out brown particles. Continue grinding until none remain.
Wash Mortar: Rinse with water to remove woody powder.
Grind Rubber: Return particles to wet mortar.
Grind until they form a 0.5–1 cm piece.
Test: Use piece as eraser for testing.
Farming
Tire Pre-Teatment
Extraction Natural Rubber Tire Plant
Harvest Breeding
Kombucha leather process
Prepare Tea: Boil water, brew strong tea, and dissolve sugar (1 cup per gallon). Let cool.
Add SCOBY: Pour tea into a container and add the SCOBY.
Ferment: Cover with a cloth and ferment in a warm, dark place for 2-4 weeks.
Harvest: Remove the thick, cellulose SCOBY layer.
Rinse and Flatten: Rinse with cold water, then press under a weight.
Dry: Place on a drying rack and let dry completely.
Packaging
Even though our shoes are cool looking and loud with their design, our packaging is quite simple. We chose the regular rectangular shape that opens from one side to the other. To continue staying true to our identity, we are using recycled cardboard as material for the shoe box.
Place
The look and feel will be a warm and inviting place so that everyone can feel welcome. The store will showcase the shoes as well as swatches of the leathers, illustrations of the process and the complete life cycle of biodegradable materials. This way we can further emphasize the essence of our brand while educating and maybe inspiring more people.
The location of the store will be in Amsterdam near Waterlooplein. The area around Waterlooplein consists of different stores where the target group often shops/ visits.
In addition to our main store, we also distribute to other stores that want to sell our products
Positioning Matrix
The positioning matrix is made with the focus on sustainability (obviously) and the prices. To be able to see where we stand as the brand ‘Onyx’ in the market, we did extensive research into our competitors and compared our positions. It is clear to say that we stand at a pretty good level when it comes to sustainability and for a good price too.
Onyx
Brand DNA
Blunt
Respect
Transparency
Campaign Concept
Video
The concept for the video is based on following the main character, who represents the target group, through a day in their life. The camera angle is focused mostly on the legs and feet of the main character. Our products are the Onyx shoes and we want the audience to focus on how the shoes are able to stand with you through your daily life.
Photo-shoot
Similar as with the video campaign, the concept for the photo-shoot is to show how the shoes can withstand all the different seasons. We chose to show the seasons by using cardboards and painting the seasons ourselves. The brand has its element of being crafty and this was another way of showing that too. You can also see the crafty aspect in how the brand book is made. In conclusion both projects show how the shoes are able to withstand certain circumstances or challenges by standing with you.
Communication Objectives
To inform the public about the brand’s ethics and goals
To educate about the materials used in the production process
To be transparent about our process and our team
Digital Channels
The content on the channels differ, but connect in their own ways. The channels we chose for our brand are Youtube, a Website and Instagram. Youtube is meant to be our first point of contact where the brand is introduced and is meant to spark curiosity and interest. The next point of contact is the Website where the brand’s ethics, goals, production and product are shown. The website gives an extended and clear description of the brand to the target audience. Last, but not least is Instagram. Instagram is meant to be a bit more lighthearted and grounded. The platform shows more of the behind the scenes, the work ethics and shares fun posts about the product.
Communication Guidelines
Graphics
Typeface: Quartzo
Image
Atmosphere: Nature, handmade and crafty
Role of models: To give a clear view of the shoes, either on the ground or in the air
Photos settings:
Exposure: -0,59
Contrast: +10
Highlights: -14
Shadows: +37
Whites: +25
Blacks: -6
Texture: +14
Clarity: +6
Dehaze: +7
Copy-writing
Tone of voice: Educational, comforting, lighthearted and inviting
Keywords: Organic materials, crafty, biodegradable and the tagline
Styles per medium: Every medium uses the same TOV and style, friendly, inviting and educational