Most great products are not invented in a board room. They come from slogging through some situation and we realize “there’s got to be a better way to do this!” Then comes the discussions and sketches and dreams and then more tons of trial (and error) perhaps years of work and refinement and countless prototypes before something sits in front of you and you say, “well that’s obvious.”
It’s this process that resulted in what we now call a zerOz .. Born from a multi-day bike trip across the Appalachian Mountains. For the ride, I ditched my old, fat wallet, worn from too many years in the saddle. I stretched a rubber band around a few essential cards and cash, and left for the unknown. On my return to civilized living, I still used (and replaced many rubber bands) while a buddy of mine used a binder clip. Crazy dude. Over the next months and years the rubber band had been stretched to it’s limit. I was on my journey to re-invent not just a wallet, but the best way to carry the essentials in our fast-paced, modern world.
So began the endless months of designing, testing, prototyping, and crafting zerOz. Excited we were getting something very special and minimal, the search was on to confirm our design did not conflict with any other patents. Yes, there are t h o u s a n d s of wallet patents .. shocking. We were ecstatic to realize we had something totally unique and undiscovered. After an extensive process, we now have two patents for the innovative zerOz design. Wow, we love this.
and yes, I never went back to carrying a normal wallet .. I carry a zerOz.
As a lifelong designer, I never stop imagining a better way to improve this invention. Design never ends. YAY :) We care about the exceptional quality leather .. the details to produce something seemingly simple and elegant. We use recycled, reclaimed leather composite for the core structure .. we minimize waste material .. we are constantly adding new designs to match your lifestyle .. we continue to work with new recycled and sustainable materials .. the search goes on: staying true to our minimal philosophy.
We hear from thousands of people at our retail store and online community sharing with us how zerOz works for them, and what they would love to see. We get feedback from so many .. and we listen.
We are always thinking about how zerOz works when you’re carrying it on a subway in New York .. bustling through crowds in Chicago, Hong Kong, Prague .. in the UK, Rio de Janeiro .. with different countries with different currency stashed in the cashStrap.
We’re imagining how you use it in a crowded bar on a fun night out, when you’re traveling to a dream destination and sitting on a faraway beach .. how does it work when you’re in a kayak on the islands around Vancouver .. horseback riding .. if you’re a doctor or a nurse in the emergency room. Of course we think of the band guy playing bass while onstage and then flopped down, exhausted in the back of the tour bus ….. at that moment, a fat wallet doesn’t cut it for this dude.
A list of how and what your zerOz should be, continues every day .. we’re always refining what works, what stays the same, and what new solutions are even better .. well .. and of course how it fits in your bike jersey when your cycling on a new adventure.