Willow Ship is an independent home + lifestyle brand, founded in 2011 and known for giftable textiles and entertaining goods. By 2023, costs were rising, margins were tightening and consumer trends were shifting.
I determined that Willow Ship needed a refreshed identity that cut costs, simplified packaging and spoke to an expanded design-savvy audience. Through category research, product pivots and a joyful new brand system, I redesigned Willow Ship as a scalable, design-led lifestyle brand built for today’s home entertaining market.
THE CHALLENGE:
Margins falling, packaging inefficient, trends shifting.
Margins falling, packaging inefficient, trends shifting.
Willow Ship’s existing product line and identity relied on premium hand-printed linen products and many specialized packaging SKUs. But rising supplier costs and shifting consumer tastes called for some scrutiny. I observed that consumers in the home entertaining category were increasingly drawn to bold patterns and primary colors, while “hand-crafted” alone no longer was enough to stand out in the homewares marketplace. A brand-wide reset was needed.
research & strategy:
Consumer and retail audit revealed aesthetic directions and growth audiences.
Consumer and retail audit revealed aesthetic directions and growth audiences.
I analyzed more than 20 thriving retailers in the gifting/entertaining/home décor space to identify product and packaging trends, plus growth opportunities. This research clarified that millennial and Gen Z shoppers were the most promising new audience. Moodboards synthesized the aesthetic findings, highlighting demand for vibrant color, vintage-inspired packaging and lifestyle-driven merchandising.
product shift:
Pivoted to deadstock cotton—increased margins 2x, raised sustainability profile.
Pivoted to deadstock cotton—increased margins 2x, raised sustainability profile.
I transitioned the product line from costly, partner-intensive hand-printed linen to sustainable deadstock cotton textiles. This change significantly lowered material costs, reinforced Willow Ship’s sustainability story and aligned the brand with consumer demand for colorful vintage-inspired textiles.
new visual identity:
Joyful, colorful and pattern-rich identity connected with ideal stockists and shoppers.
Joyful, colorful and pattern-rich identity connected with ideal stockists and shoppers.
A refreshed identity emphasized bold personal style and the social nature of entertaining. Logos, color palettes, illustrations, patterns, typography, photo styling and brand voice reinforced a consistent experience across media, designed to resonate with design-savvy DTC shoppers and on-trend retailers.
packaging redesign:
7 unique pieces streamlined to 3 universal tags—costs cut by 70%.
7 unique pieces streamlined to 3 universal tags—costs cut by 70%.
I simplified the packaging system by consolidating 7 separate package SKUs into just three versatile formats: a universal tag & ribbon system for table linens, a smaller tag for accessories and a customizable gift set tag. Promotional collateral pieces were also resized and updated with QR codes linking to landing pages. Together, these changes cut packaging costs by roughly 70% and streamlined production and pack-out.
the results:
Margins at all-time high, brand relaunched, new reach across DTC and wholesale.
Margins at all-time high, brand relaunched, new reach across DTC and wholesale.
The Willow Ship re-brand reduced packaging costs by ~70% and improved unit margins, creating financial stability for future product launches. Willow Ship gained stronger alignment with colorful, on-trend boutiques and expanded its reach across Shopify, Etsy, Faire and drop-ship partners. Testimonials from stockists and customers echoed the success of the new approach.
Willow Ship is now positioned for healthy growth, with a fresh and compelling brand identity, repaired margins and expanded reach to new audiences.