Potential CHEAP alternative to card clips - I made a thing

[Brightyquid]

Hi!

In the course of creating; and re-creating, my Hipster Santa deck I developed a very crude prototype card case out of Polyprop. I have been refining the design over a this week and actually feel that it could be of interest to many cardists, Collectors and players alike. I have created several black cases for 4 of my favourite decks (Tycoons, Knowledge by Legend, Makers Blacksmiths and Toms) and have had them digitally printed with my logo. Please see pictures below:-

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Obviously these are still crude prototypes, but the fit and dimensions are almost perfect already. As previously mentioned I have used them on 4 of my favourite decks and they are working very well, I carry two decks around with me at all times and can confirm that the cases are no more intrusive or cumbersome than a standard deck.

The benefits of this over a brass or metal card clip OR a cheap transparent APET card case is that Polypropylene is very pliable, resilient and robust; and is much less likely to crack or snap the more brittle APET, and is MUCH lighter than metal. Additionally, if printed on white PP it can be fully printed and customised by the user... you can have any photograph or design you choose. Finally, they can be shipped flat in an envelope and assembled by the customer, so shipping costs would be almost non existent.

My reason for posting was to get the feedback of the community, to see if there is ANY interest or feedback regarding the idea?

My estimate for a fully customised sleeve (design supplied by the customer) including flat shipping (WORLDWIDE) would be between £5 - £8 or $6 to $10 maximum.

Just an idea.

Thoughts?

[STLBluesNut]

I think they look pretty neat and could be pretty cool with custom cutouts or shapes that compliment a tuck design on a kickstarter or something.

I don't usually carry decks around with me so I don't think I would get them for anything but think they could be very nice for those that do.


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[Bradius]

They are nice and probably would have a market. However, Shermjack already sells some really good clear cases to protect decks/tucks (DS1). He just improved the design to make them easier for someone opening and closing the deck a lot. That said a custom sleeve like you show is rather cool as well.

[Justin O.]

For me the benefit of card clips is that they help straighten the decks

[Eric Lee]

As Justin mentioned, card clips also help you keep your cards from warping and last longer. I would consider it, but the price point is impt. For the international market, forex rate is painful for us. So your alternative needs to compete with these items:

EPCC's pack jacket that retails for only $4.99. Something to consider in terms of price point.

Check out Will's store, Playingcarddecks.comfor a good range of deck boxes. It'll give you an idea of your competition and how to position your accessory.

Hope this helps.

[Brightyquid]

The fact card clips keep the decks rigid and prevent bowing or warping is a great benefit of the metal clip over plastic. I could do these cheaper than £5 I think, and still have them custom printed. I think I will continue to refine the design and potentially release something in 2020, maybe with my Wonderland Deck?

The cases are working great for me, so I think there is milage in the idea; but right now it might be advisable to keep focus on my KS deck.

Thanks for the responses.

[Brightyquid]

I have continued the development and prototyping and I have arrived at a new tuck design. Please see pictures below. This is just a rough prototype ‘for fun’ at the moment; just wanting feedback from the community. If this were a deck I would put 54 different illustrations on the faces (and the numbers/suits), just as a showcase of some of the illustrations I have produced for my BrightDesignHouse brand. Link to portfolio below too.

https://www.behance.net/collection/1705 ... lustration

This is NOT a Kickstarter, I am just doing this as part of my r&d and experimentation.

Thoughts?

[brownsl]

I think it is great that you are part of this community and are partially open to suggestions. You are obviously an incredibly talented person.

But, I really think you need to get past having to include your branding on everything. I guess you can either maintain the stubbornness of having your logo on your products and lose a fair number of supporters or you can remove it or at least drastically reduce it and gain more supporters. Honestly, it is a huge turnoff that you are insistent on having it so prominent when the proven track record is not there. Of course, you may have already established your brand outside of playing cards.

This part is more relevant to your Christmas deck thread but I really hope that you do not get frustrated from a lack of support before you come up with a completely custom deck with minimal branding. I think a fully custom deck of your amazing artwork would be very successful. It is the type of deck where I would buy a half brick of them.

[RWPPFFShuffle]

But, I really think you need to get past having to include your branding on everything.

This. Having it on the bottom of the tuck is fine. Having it on the inside flaps, sure that's okay. Having your brand on 9 different places on the tuck? That's a bit egotistical. It's great if it's a personal deck for yourself or something you can give to clients as a "business card" or sorts, but not something I would consider backing on Kickstarter or buying in general. I hope it's not too offensive to say, but your brand means nothing to me. YET. Doesn't mean you can't get more brand recognition to a point you could pull something like this off, but even then, I'd hope you would consider backing off from putting the RB logo on every available space.

[Decknowledgy]

Also, there is already a tuck, and then this product is adding a secondary cut-out tuck to it for... what reason?



Card clips are not only for protection but also adding pressure to the deck to flatten it out. This doesn't fulfill that purpose

[Brightyquid]

I think it is great that you are part of this community and are partially open to suggestions. You are obviously an incredibly talented person.

But, I really think you need to get past having to include your branding on everything. I guess you can either maintain the stubbornness of having your logo on your products and lose a fair number of supporters or you can remove it or at least drastically reduce it and gain more supporters. Honestly, it is a huge turnoff that you are insistent on having it so prominent when the proven track record is not there. Of course, you may have already established your brand outside of playing cards.

This part is more relevant to your Christmas deck thread but I really hope that you do not get frustrated from a lack of support before you come up with a completely custom deck with minimal branding. I think a fully custom deck of your amazing artwork would be very successful. It is the type of deck where I would buy a half brick of them.

Thank you for the response. The addition of my logo is really just a place holder on this concept. Looking at the response it would have been much better to have had it unbranded. I think its important that I say now that it is no longer a card clip, it's now a 2 part tuck case for overlapping or complimentary designs.

RE: your point about getting disheartened, I don't and won't. I am an illustrator, my illustrative work is the only output that I am 'precious' about; as I see it as a reflection of my ability to interpret the clients brief or translate a concept from my head to the page. My foray into playing cards and almost every other creative outlet; aside from illustration, is fair game for constructive criticism. I want to produce a deck that is a showcase of my illustrative work but also is a product people in the community like and want to buy. I do feel that some of the criticism I have received about; particularly, my earlier work or concepts that have been misinterpreted has been on the harsh side. However as I said, I am eager to take ALL constructive criticism on board and hopefully produce a deck that has more supporters than detractors. THIS 2 part tuck is a good example, it started off as an idea for a protective sleeve that is cheap to make, fully customisable and cheap to buy, but it has morphed into this 2 part tuck that allows for 2 different; but complimentary, designs to sit together. Its a fluid process and ideas change as more R&D is conducted. I felt that this forum would be a good 'marketplace of ideas' for posting concepts I was working on, but based on some of the responses it might be advisable to only post fully formed ideas.

I am always open to feedback and constructive criticism, and I will try and be much more descriptive with posts.

Thanks

[Brightyquid]

Also, there is already a tuck, and then this product is adding a secondary cut-out tuck to it for... what reason?



Card clips are not only for protection but also adding pressure to the deck to flatten it out. This doesn't fulfill that purpose

Thanks for the response. As I posted above this is now no longer a card clip, its a 2 part tuck design. I should have been much more descriptive about the evolution of the concept in my repost. I am just experimenting with different ideas for my 'Wonderland' deck, I thought that the outer case could be a door or book design and the inner tuck could be illustrated like wonderland. It started off as an idea for a protective sleeve that is cheap to make, fully customisable and cheap to buy, but it has now morphed into this 2 part tuck that allows for 2 different; but complimentary, designs to sit together.

Thanks.

[Brightyquid]

The prototyping and experimentation continues unabated.

[hsbc]

I'm just thrilled to have another designer posting random in-progress works here

[Decknowledgy]

Still thinking that this progress update should be moved to the Custom Deck Drafting Board section because it's pretty frequent

[STLBluesNut]

Loving the copper color of that tuck.

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[Brightyquid]

Still thinking that this progress update should be moved to the Custom Deck Drafting Board section because it's pretty frequent

As requested I have moved my exploratory prototyping to the drafting board, please see link below:-

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=15194

Hipster Santa has really stalled as everyone said it would, so a fully illustrated deck is the only way to go.

[brownsl]

Hipster Santa has really stalled as everyone said it would, so a fully illustrated deck is the only way to go.

This is great! Looking forward to it!