Found Surface Website
Designing a website that communicates both a brand and a manufacturing ecosystem
Overview
Found Surface is an eco friendly manufacturing company based in Cleveland, Ohio. The company produces garments while also offering manufacturing services to other brands.
The goal of this project was to redesign the Found Surface website, so it communicated not only the products being created but also the manufacturing capabilities, supply chain transparency, and sustainability efforts behind them.
The redesign focused on restructuring the user experience so the website could function both as a brand platform and as a gateway for companies interested in starting manufacturing projects.
Problem
The original Found Surface website primarily showcased finished products. While visitors could see garments that had been produced, the site did not communicate the full scope of the company’s capabilities.
Manufacturing services, supply chain processes, and sustainability practices were not clearly visible. As a result, visitors often misunderstood the company as simply a clothing brand rather than a manufacturing partner.
The redesign aimed to close this gap by making the company’s ecosystem visible and understandable.
My Role
I worked on both the UX structure and the visual interface design of the website.
My work included designing the UX layout and developing the UI that communicates the company’s manufacturing ecosystem. I also designed the product pages and the manufacturing pages, helping explain both the garments being produced and the capabilities behind them.
The goal was to balance storytelling and functionality so the site could work as both a brand experience and a practical tool for companies interested in production.
Design Strategy
A key challenge in the redesign was that Found Surface serves two different audiences.
Some visitors come to explore and purchase finished garments. Others visit the site because they want to manufacture products with the company.
To support both audiences, I designed a navigation system that allows the site to function almost like two experiences within a single platform.
At the top of the interface, users can toggle between Shop and Make.
Shop focuses on finished garments and product storytelling.
Make shifts the experience toward manufacturing services, production capabilities, and supply chain transparency.
This system allows the website to support both audiences without cluttering the interface or overwhelming users with too much information.
Home Page Experience
The homepage was designed to communicate the company’s identity immediately.
When users land on the site, the interface is intentionally minimal and the menu is turned off. The page opens with a direct message that introduces the company.
Found Surface is an eco friendly manufacturing company based in Cleveland, Ohio.
This ensures that visitors understand what the company is within the first few seconds.
When users activate the menu, the navigation changes depending on whether they are in Shop or Make mode. This allows the site to present different sets of information depending on what the visitor is looking for.
One of the biggest challenges was balancing brand storytelling with clear service information.
Found Surface operates both as a fashion brand and as a manufacturing partner. Each side requires a different type of communication. Product storytelling focuses on visual presentation and brand identity, while manufacturing services require clear explanations of capabilities and processes.
The Shop and Make toggle became the solution to this challenge. By separating the two experiences while keeping them within the same platform, the website can communicate the full scope of the company while still remaining easy to navigate.
Design Challenge
Outcome
The redesigned website made it easier for brands to understand how they could work with Found Surface.
By clearly separating the Shop and Make experiences, visitors could quickly identify whether they were exploring products or looking to start a manufacturing project. The Make section helped explain the company’s capabilities, supply chain process, and sustainability efforts in a way that was easier for potential partners to understand.
The redesign positioned the website as both a product platform and a gateway for new manufacturing partnerships.