Misc – Solar Marine Neck Badge

SKU: SmD-A-339
Category: Apparel / Kleidung
Manufacturers: Danny Choo / Culture Japan

Bekleidung:

Anhänger (1 Stück mit Lederriemen)

53,00 €

incl. 19% VAT , plus

Low stock level
Delivery time: 1 - 6 Workdays (DE - int. shipments may differ)

Description

The Solar Marine logo is more than a mere emblem; it’s a badge that embodies the ideals and beliefs of those who wear it. It stands as a testament to the commitment to challenge those who oppress, take without consideration, and dehumanize others. This symbol has become synonymous with the resolve to stand up for justice where it is lacking. It represents the spirit of defiance against entitlement and oppression, encapsulating the essence of the Solar Marines’ mission.

While the Solar Marine logo has appeared on a few of our garments, I have always wanted to create a neck badge, but my visualization of what it should look like didn’t quite match the materials and production methods that were available to us.

So we just started experimenting, which involved learning alchemy and metal casting in the studio. The progress can be seen in the photo displaying the nine metal casts. Our first attempts, displayed on the top left, were less than satisfactory, but through trial and error, we refined the process to create the desired aesthetic, seen on the bottom right.

We also needed to optimize our 3D-printed master design to get decent casts. The small size of the intricate letters in our initial casting often resulted in incomplete casts from the silicone mold, leading us to adjust not only the lettering and logo’s aspect ratio, but also their height.

Our next hurdle was to develop the leather base. While we initially tried machine stitching, maintaining a consistent stitch-margin ratio for hundreds of units was inefficient. We then experimented with indented stitches on the leather surface, necessitating 3D-printed molds to stamp the stitches. This was the most time-consuming step, as even indented stitches sometimes came too close to the edge.

Once the leather base was completed, we needed to affix the metal badge to it. We tested various types of industrial glue before finding that Gorilla Glue offered the strongest hold, such that trying to remove the metal badge would also tear the leather surface.

The outcome is something I’m pleased with, but it was crucial to ensure its durability for consumers. This necessitated extensive field-testing, hence 1 year-long wait since the first prototype. ;-)

Just like our Dog tags, the strap length can be adjusted to be worn either long or short.