Page 47 - #62 eng e-mag

Every product is

a marriage

of technology

and hand craft.

Y IELD Design was born in their work: “Every weekday we go

in late 2012, several
to the coffee shop with our dog on the
months after two co-
founders, Rachel Gant way into the office. We typically get
cortados, except on the hottest Florida
and Andrew Deming, finished Cali- days. It’s a routine that we hold dear.
fornia College of the Arts, where they On slower weekend mornings, we’ll
met. They wanted to build a brand make coffee at home in the French
that was defined by a certain ethos, press.” Now YIELD design has a whole
not a specific product or product coffee line that includes glasses, French
category. Ranging from furniture to jew- presses, pour- overs and pitchers in differ-
elry, YIELD lives at the intersection of ent color and sizes. As the two say, it was
functionality and elegance, of high-end a pretty organic process that started with
design and accessibility. The founders a conversation about making a French Press
believe in creating products that are well that is viewed more as a centerpiece. Ra-
crafted, produced in an ethical manner, chel sketched the basic form of their
with a design language that is distinctive, original French press in a notepad, ren-
understated, and livable. dered it, and then they 3D printed the first
Even though in our rapidly-moving prototype. The basic form came into being
world word ‘technology’ sometimes seen quickly, but then they spent a long time
as the best solution for being faster and refining the details and it took over a year
more productive, Andrew and Rachel are to get manufacturing ironed out.
neither designing for technology or taking Talking about manufacturing, one of
a stand against it. They believe the new the core ideas behind YIELD is that beau-
tools at their disposal further empower ty, sustainability and ethical production
them to create and communicate: every are not at odds–they must all be consid-
product and venture they undertake is a ered to create something of true worth.
marriage of technology and hand craft. Anything created at someone else’s ex-
Their style might be described as warm pense is not beautiful and the manufac-
minimalism, it is an approach to minimal- turing of disposable goods for short term
ism that isn’t sterile, embracing “buy less, benefit has robbed our natural resources
buy better” idea that doesn’t leave your for too long. That is why the company
home looking like an clinical waiting room. bears a responsibility to create timeless
For YIELD designers, the best spots to About the Brand pieces that last, suggesting to buy for keeps
encounter warm minimalism can be coffee or not buy at all.
shops, as they inherent warmth and cozi- YIELD was established in So for the coffee collection, YIELD
ness associated with coffee itself. late 2012 by Andrew Deming chose food-safe materials like ceramic, glass,
Except for being partners in business, and Rachel Gant in San & stainless steel and purposefully eliminated
Rachel and Andrew are also partners in Francisco where the two met plastics so no one has to worry about what
at the California College of
life, that embrace their love to coffee also the Arts (CCA). their coffee has been in contact with.

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