Monarch Knitting Factory 
Rebrand
The president & CEO reached out to update the branding for his knitting machinery company. The family business is three generations old and keeping the visual legacy alive and somewhat intact was paramount. Part of the visual legacy was a proprietary cam design used in their machines. All previous logos incorporated this in their design. It was important to hold onto the essence of this design in both form and function. What is shown below is a case study and outtake in the logo development process for the company. The client desired to further develop the logo design into a different mark. The work was produced in 2019.

In the textile knitting industry a cam creates a channel that guides the knitting arms through the knitting process. There are hundreds of these in a machine. It is an important component of the process and can also be a proprietary product which helps differentiate one type of knitting performance from another. 

The cam shape is an interesting mechanical component, designed for function, function dictating form and design. It is meant to be used, worked hard and replaced with ease.
In the discovery phase of the project the client placed attention on their cam design for inspiration. This first led to studying the cam to explore how to take a mechanical object designed for function and translate that into a striking brand mark. 

During this process, a viewing angle of the cam was found that had great three-dimensional depth while also representing the "M" shape that defines the bespoke cam design. From there it was a matter of making and experimenting.
The angled view of the cam was turned into a repeating dimensional groove or channel. The simple line work further developed into more complex shapes and angles to form the framework of the logo. In the process of development it went from less complex to more complex and then was refined down again to reveal the M shape you see below. 
Color was then brought in to define the brand and boldness of the form. The red tones define the cam groove or channel, while also visually representing the M form. The gray and black tones help to establish dimension and fill out the overall shape.

Color was then brought in to define the brand and boldness of the form. The red tones define the cam groove or channel, while also visually representing the M form. The gray and black tones help to establish dimension and fill out the overall shape.

The final lockup came together with complementary typography. The overall sizing and relationship of the typography to the M shape was based on the angles of the M.  

The client had additional requests to investigate softening the angles within the M to more closely match the cam groove design as used for inspiration. At first this seemed impossible, but after some experimenting, this layout feels more true to the cam design and unique for the company. ​​​​​​​

Experimentation led to the development of a pattern that can be used in further brand development and marketing collateral.

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