Product design is a process.
And it was a long process to get to the point where I decided clear acrylic was the best material for my stencils.
In the beginning, I was sure I wanted stainless steel. I had done minimal research but I'd seen a few stainless steel stencils out there. I liked that it was a material that could be recycled. I had samples made and I was unpleasantly surprised.
Findings:
- Even a very thin stencil weighed a ton, and would cost me an arm and a leg in shipping. I'd either have very low margins, or have to charge a fortune.
- The laser cutouts were too thin for a pencil to fit through. I'd have to make them thicker, and make the figure less detailed to compensate.
- The edges were extremely sharp and could take out a child's eye. I was just imaging all of the injuries. The manufacturer reassured me that we could either fold the edges on itself (meaning it wouldn't stack easily) or cover it with a plastic rim (defeating the purpose of using stainless steel).
- Touching the stencil left fingerprints that were hard to remove.
- I couldn't see where I was drawing! Where was I placing my figure? Was I drawing over the top of text, or over another drawing? I realised the stencil needed to be clear.
- It easily bent and warped, meaning that it didn't sit flat on the page.
Stainless steel was an immediate NO from me.
So what was next? I knew it had to be clear, durable, light, safe (not sharp), easy to clean, and suitable for lasering. I toured Officeworks and found some clear stencils. Most were acetate film, which felt cheap and was a bit too flimsy for me (see the picture below).
Then I came across a thick clear acrylic stencil. I didn't like that it was a plastic, but it was perfect otherwise. My first samples arrived a couple months later. I 90% loved them, but there was a problem. The manufacturer used a low grade clear acrylic that looked dirty, and my 2mm cutouts were exaggerated by the laser. This meant that certain parts of the stencil were either more vulnerable or had actually broken (for example, everyone's feet broke off in the back poses).
I made changes to all of my designs and found another manufacturer who could accommodate a higher grade clear acrylic. I made sure all of the new samples were free from weak points. I was finally happy! Look at the improvement.
So, in summary, the 6 reasons why I chose clear acrylic:
1. It's transparent
- You can see the fabric or surface you're working on underneath
- Makes it easier to position the stencil
2. It's durable
- Withstands repeated use
- Paper or cardboard stencils don't last very long in comparison!
3. It's light
- You can shove it in your handbag and take it anywhere!
4. It's not sharp
- Unlike the stainless steel, the corner is not going to take your eye out
- Safe for children
5. It's easy to clean
- Acrylic is non-porous, so you can just wipe it down with a cloth if it gets dirty
6. Suitable for lasering
- Some materials are unsuitable for laser but clear acrylic is a common material for this!
I'm always on the lookout for a more sustainable material that fits this criteria. To partially offset the fact that clear acrylic is a plastic, I designed the stencils to withstand hundreds and thousands of uses, and made sure that all of my packaging/shipping material was biodegradable and compostable. I'm on a permanent mission to improve this product and I'd love to hear if you have any thoughts about how I can do that! xxx