In 2013, Elizabeth and Erin Dining, a Boulder-based mother-daughter team, set out to create an effective and stylish iPhone case that would complement their adventurous lifestyles. Since then, this dynamic duo has been through countless learning experiences and has, in turn, crafted a phone case like nothing we’ve seen before. We had the pleasure of interviewing Erin of cradl. to learn more about their innovative iPhone case design.
Tell us about where the initial concept for cradl. came from.
cradl. first started when my mom came to me and asked me to sketch up a few designs for the back of an iPhone case. I sat down with colored pencils and many sheets of paper and started drawing. After lots of hours and a few days of casual drawing, I came up with the Blocks and the Bubbles and several others which were the building blocks (pun intended) of what cradl. is today.
What is it like to work as a mother-daughter team?
Working as a mother-daughter team has been such an amazing experience. Of course working with family can be hard at times but my mom and I are so similar that it has seemed to work well from the start. Working out of our house, however, creates a different business atmosphere. One second I can be working on new cradl. designs and the next I will be asked to do dishes or watch my little brother!
Tell us about some of the features of the case.
My favorite feature of the cradl. case is the ability to put your cash, ID, or credit card in the back. This feature is perfect for anyone on the go who doesn’t want to lug around a heavy wallet or purse. Being able to stick some cash and an ID in the back of the phone case makes my life so much easier. I also really like the way the sides drop down so I can access my full screen. I’m proud of the way we had this designed so that it doesn’t compromise the phone itself.
How many colors are available, and what device models are these cases made for?
cradl. cases are currently made for iPhone 6 and 6s devices, but we will expand our line to include cases for the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge next and the the iPhone 7, both due out late-summer, and mid-fall. The three different designs include Blocks, Bubbles, and Trees. Between the three different designs and the numerous colors, there are 18 cases to choose from. Our new cases may include one of the existing designs (I like the Bubbles best ☺), but we will be continually rolling out new designs for the new device cases.
What are some of the nicest things people have said so far about the case?
One of the nicest things that has been said about cradl. cases was by a lovely woman named Wendy Jones. She wrote a review on our product that had both my mom and I smiling from ear to ear. She said:
“I crazy love this case! Sexy design: The oh-so-cool design isn’t just easy on the eyes–it also allows for sliding a ten spot in between the case and the phone in case you get the munchies when you’re out for a hike. Great protection: No need to keep the phone sunny-side-up when it’s on a table–you can flip it over to keep your just-for-you texts private, and the raised corners of the case protect your screen from getting scratched. And because the case is lightweight and grippy, you’ll have fewer oops moments. Makes my butt look small: When you slide the phone in the back pocket of your jeans, there’s no added bulk. Thank you, slim profile–my butt has never looked better.”
We really like your capital gift strategy. Can you tell our readers a bit about how that works?
Through our capital gift strategy, we are able to gain a better understanding of the needs and goals of the organizations we are giving to. As opposed to a flat donation, which in our experience can create logistical and budgeting issues, Capital Gifts lay out a specific funding goal. Once that goal is met, we move on to our next nonprofit partner. $0.50 of every case cradl. sells goes toward this program. We’re excited to see how far-reaching this gift strategy can go once we are in large scale production!
Where can our readers find the case for purchase?
On our website at www.cradlcase.com is easiest. Please use a coupon code for 20% off at checkout: JENEGBERT20! You can also find us at The HUB in Telluride, and online at Home Depot, Best Buy and Walmart.