SERIKAT – Quality is made by hand
Service Design, 2014
SERIKAT is a crossmedia platform that brings together regional craftspeople and designers and provides other interested parties with the opportunity to find out about sustainable, high-quality products and buy them.
Anonymous mass production
Uniform mass products are created tirelessly by the machinery of our globally networked world. This is a waste of resources, and it puts immense strain on the environment. Studies show, however, a need for regionally produced, sustainable products. One factor is especially important to buyers of commercial products: the way they are made. Traditional craftspeople and young designers have few opportunities to get involved in this sustainable market. They are lacking either the access, the sales structures or the right allies to enable them to participate economically.
So what kind of platform is needed to address and fulfil the needs of these various stakeholders?
Maximum transparency
We are creating a digital space in which designers can collaborate with craftspeople to create regional, high-quality products. A shared philosophy is an essential foundation and can join together our three main stakeholder groups – craftspeople, designers and customers – in their attitude towards quality and transparency. Our philosophy is that we believe in the wishes and needs of our customers and want to help them to act. A transparent exchange of knowledge and experience builds trust and heightens awareness of sustainably produced, high-quality products from regional manufacturers
We believe in the honesty and quality of local craftspeople and we want to provide tradition and innovation with a space. We are convinced that quality is made by hand.
Unique products made in series
SERIKAT is a platform that brings together regional craftspeople and designers to give society access to high-quality products. Craftspeople and designers use our service to develop regional, sustainable products that can then be sold via the platform’s own online shop. What we want to achieve is for customers to buy from craftspeople again by getting easier access, and steer less towards the uniform, lower quality goods of large corporations.
Two exemplary products were developed for the platform as part of the project. We used the process of developing them to show how designers can get in touch with craftspeople using the platform and accompany their own product idea from design, to creation, to sale.
Partners
Moritz Schmid
Dominik Witzke
Robin Weidner
Tobias Laur