Branding Project
Arduino® Wear the Code, Capsule Collection
Created for:
Arduino®
in collaboration with
Anna Viganò, Fabio Ferrero, Adele Perni, Alberto Morici
Role:
Tools:
Adobe Suite
To meet a growing demand from the community, we designed Arduino’s first-ever merchandise capsule collection. Inspired by Figma and the New York Times, the collection channeled soft visuals and understated pride in open-source culture—breaking free from traditional tech swag.
The Challenge
Arduino events consistently showed strong interest in branded merchandise—but our previous swag lacked personality and cohesion. We needed to create a merchandise line that would resonate with a diverse, design-aware community while also fitting a tight production budget.
Concept & Strategy
Drawing inspiration from Figma’s bold conference looks and the elegance of the New York Times merch, we wanted to craft something Arduino-specific: gentle, unbranded at first glance, but with deeper meaning. Our aim was to translate “Open Source is Love” into a soft, almost teenage kind of affection—representing Arduino as a quiet supporter, not a billboard.
Visual Development
& Design System
Budget constraints pushed us to select from pre-dyed textiles—but it worked in our favor. Light green and blush pink organic cottons stood out for their warmth and subtlety. We incorporated early iterations of Arduino’s icon system to create quiet visual cues, forming gentle metaphors across apparel. Sericraft Lab in Torino helped us elevate the production with embossed textile effects and custom fabric labels—uncommon for small-batch collections but essential to creating a premium experience.
Deliverables
The capsule included two hoodie variations, t-shirts, and a patch set. Key pieces were photographed in a styled shoot for web and social usage. A custom label was sewn into all primary garments—transforming them from merch into cherished wardrobe items.
Sold in limited drops on the Arduino store, the real impact came internally: the merch became a centerpiece of Arduino’s employee welcome kits. It was quickly adopted as everyday wear by the team—showing both utility and emotional resonance. One standout moment? Multiple male colleagues requested the pink hoodie, breaking the tech world’s gendered color norms.
This project proved that even small runs can have big cultural value when crafted with care. Details matter—from color selection to label stitching. The collection became a touchpoint for team identity and inclusivity. While there’s no immediate need for a new drop, the visual system and supply chain foundation are set for future capsule extensions.
I still catch team members wearing their hoodies daily—faded, loved, lived-in. For a designer, that’s the best kind of logo placement: one you didn’t even have to make big.
