Abstract
In an environment of fierce market competition and limited resources, the ability to continuously develop products that meet market needs is critical to the survival of micro-craft enterprises. Adopting a practice-led perspective, this study examines how a 15-year-old micro craft brand applied bricolage theory to transform its cultural products under resource constraints and severe market challenges. Starting from the founder’s student woodworking projects, the brand was established in 2010, experienced a decade of commercialization attempts, and pivoted in response to market difficulties. Its 2015 “Wings of Pen” avian pen series has received long-term acclaim in the gift market and remains a best-seller. Through a case analysis, we trace four optimization stages—biomimetic design accumulation, flexible processing with composite materials, symbolic value construction, and bespoke gift services—to illustrate how the brand overcame adversity to create a perennial product. Findings show that, under resource limitations, strategies of “resources at hand,” “making do,” and “resource recombination” enabled effective use of available assets and local cultural elements, imparting new meanings and market value. We offer practical recommendations for craft-design entrepreneurs to maximize limited resources, pursue meaning-driven innovation, and extend product life cycles.
Keywords
Bricolage Theory; Craft Design; Cultural and Creative Industries; Cultural Product Design
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.367
Citation
Shen, S.,and Cheng, Y.G.(2025) A Practice-Led Exploration of Bricolage Theory in Micro Craft Branding: The Case of Wings of Pen by MUFUN, in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.367
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 11 - Culture and Craft Design for Regenerative Practices
A Practice-Led Exploration of Bricolage Theory in Micro Craft Branding: The Case of Wings of Pen by MUFUN
In an environment of fierce market competition and limited resources, the ability to continuously develop products that meet market needs is critical to the survival of micro-craft enterprises. Adopting a practice-led perspective, this study examines how a 15-year-old micro craft brand applied bricolage theory to transform its cultural products under resource constraints and severe market challenges. Starting from the founder’s student woodworking projects, the brand was established in 2010, experienced a decade of commercialization attempts, and pivoted in response to market difficulties. Its 2015 “Wings of Pen” avian pen series has received long-term acclaim in the gift market and remains a best-seller. Through a case analysis, we trace four optimization stages—biomimetic design accumulation, flexible processing with composite materials, symbolic value construction, and bespoke gift services—to illustrate how the brand overcame adversity to create a perennial product. Findings show that, under resource limitations, strategies of “resources at hand,” “making do,” and “resource recombination” enabled effective use of available assets and local cultural elements, imparting new meanings and market value. We offer practical recommendations for craft-design entrepreneurs to maximize limited resources, pursue meaning-driven innovation, and extend product life cycles.