oneVessel
Building a Wholesale Catalog System
This comprehensive wholesale catalog system transformed Katri Inc. from a custom promotional products company into oneVessel, a design-driven retail drinkware brand. The catalogs served as the primary sales tool for wholesale buyers nationwide, organizing 575+ SKUs across multiple browsing paradigms while balancing inspiring design presentation with dense product specifications.
The Challenge
Katri Inc. needed to transition from custom promotional drinkware to selling seasonal retail collections through wholesale channels. The catalogs had to showcase 175+ seasonal designs while providing specifications for hundreds of SKUs, supporting three distinct shopping behaviors within a cost-effective format.
The Solution
A flexible catalog system organized into three sections addressed different buyer needs: Custom & Co-Branded Ordering, Retail by Category (grouped aesthetically), and Retail by Body Style (organized by product type). This multi-pathway approach allowed buyers to navigate 575-580 SKUs according to their purchasing priorities.
The Challenge
Katri Inc. needed to transition from custom promotional drinkware to selling seasonal retail collections through wholesale channels. The catalogs had to showcase 175+ seasonal designs while providing specifications for hundreds of SKUs, supporting three distinct shopping behaviors within a cost-effective format.
The Solution
A flexible catalog system organized into three sections addressed different buyer needs: Custom & Co-Branded Ordering, Retail by Category (grouped aesthetically), and Retail by Body Style (organized by product type). This multi-pathway approach allowed buyers to navigate 575-580 SKUs according to their purchasing priorities.
  • Information Architecture
    I designed two distinct grid systems optimized for different browsing behaviors.
    • The Retail by Category sections used a 7-column grid that gave seasonal design imagery room to breathe while accommodating essential specifications (design name, body style, product number, size, pricing). This spacious layout let wholesale buyers appreciate the artwork while scanning details.
    • The Retail by Body Style sections employed a tighter 8-column grid that maximized information density for efficient cross-product comparison.
    Both systems worked within an 8.5×11 saddle-stitched format on coated stock, balancing durability for sales use with cost-effectiveness for wholesale distribution.
  • Information Architecture
    I designed two distinct grid systems optimized for different browsing behaviors.
    • The Retail by Category sections used a 7-column grid that gave seasonal design imagery room to breathe while accommodating essential specifications (design name, body style, product number, size, pricing). This spacious layout let wholesale buyers appreciate the artwork while scanning details.
    • The Retail by Body Style sections employed a tighter 8-column grid that maximized information density for efficient cross-product comparison.
    Both systems worked within an 8.5×11 saddle-stitched format on coated stock, balancing durability for sales use with cost-effectiveness for wholesale distribution.
  • Product Mockup System
    Rather than traditional product photography, I established a mockup system using manufacturer-supplied blank product templates. My team applied seasonal retail designs and custom options to these templates, creating consistent visual presentation across 175+ retail SKUs and 400+ custom options in each catalog edition. This approach ensured uniformity across hundreds of SKUs while maintaining the flexibility to update designs efficiently for each seasonal cycle.
  • Product Mockup System
    Rather than traditional product photography, I established a mockup system using manufacturer-supplied blank product templates. My team applied seasonal retail designs and custom options to these templates, creating consistent visual presentation across 175+ retail SKUs and 400+ custom options in each catalog edition. This approach ensured uniformity across hundreds of SKUs while maintaining the flexibility to update designs efficiently for each seasonal cycle.
  • Art Direction
    Each seasonal cycle, I commissioned and art directed 4-6 freelance illustrators, developing 12-16 new surface designs for the retail drinkware collections. The illustrations needed to work effectively when screenprinted in one or two colors across various drinkware body styles, balancing visual impact to inspire wholesale orders with the technical constraints of the printing process. I guided illustrators through multiple rounds to ensure designs translated successfully from artwork to applied surface graphics.
  • Art Direction
    Each seasonal cycle, I commissioned and art directed 4-6 freelance illustrators, developing 12-16 new surface designs for the retail drinkware collections. The illustrations needed to work effectively when screenprinted in one or two colors across various drinkware body styles, balancing visual impact to inspire wholesale orders with the technical constraints of the printing process. I guided illustrators through multiple rounds to ensure designs translated successfully from artwork to applied surface graphics.
  • The Results
    The wholesale catalog system became the primary sales tool supporting oneVessel's business transformation and market expansion. Published three times annually over four years (8+ full editions of 24-32 pages, plus 4+ supplemental editions of 6-8 pages), the catalogs enabled the company to build wholesale relationships with cafes and specialty retailers nationwide. The publication system successfully balanced the competing needs of inspiring design presentation and efficient specification browsing, establishing oneVessel as a recognized retail brand in the reusable drinkware market.
  • The Results
    The wholesale catalog system became the primary sales tool supporting oneVessel's business transformation and market expansion. Published three times annually over four years (8+ full editions of 24-32 pages, plus 4+ supplemental editions of 6-8 pages), the catalogs enabled the company to build wholesale relationships with cafes and specialty retailers nationwide. The publication system successfully balanced the competing needs of inspiring design presentation and efficient specification browsing, establishing oneVessel as a recognized retail brand in the reusable drinkware market.
Project Details
  • Collaborators
    • Role: Creative Director & Brand Manager, Katri Inc.
    • Senior Designer: Nina Painter
    • Junior Designer: Nancy Taing
    • Freelance Illustrators
  • Deliverables
    • print-ready catalogs
    • seasonal illustration direction
  • Design Tools
    • Adobe InDesign
    • Adobe Illustrator
    • Adobe Photoshop
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