How is a Squame product created? PHASE 1: Ideation
Squame pieces aren't created behind a desk; ideas emerge from our experience, or from the insights shared with us by our fellow adventurers. After every trip, every adventure, we return full of inspiration and eager to create something new.
We could write rivers of words telling you the behind-the-scenes story behind each creation, but we prefer to focus on the birth of one of our latest garments that sees you directly involved: the Agama Jersey cycling jersey.
Remember the survey on the ideal characteristics for a bikepacking jersey? Well, this is the story of how it came to be, thanks in part to your valuable contributions, which make you as much a part of the project as we are.
We've divided the story into three chapters that also cover the development phases: conception, design, and field testing. Today we'll focus on the first and most crucial step.
We could write rivers of words telling you the behind-the-scenes story behind each creation, but we prefer to focus on the birth of one of our latest garments that sees you directly involved: the Agama Jersey cycling jersey.
Remember the survey on the ideal characteristics for a bikepacking jersey? Well, this is the story of how it came to be, thanks in part to your valuable contributions, which make you as much a part of the project as we are.
We've divided the story into three chapters that also cover the development phases: conception, design, and field testing. Today we'll focus on the first and most crucial step.
PHASE 1: Ideation
After my experience at Veneto Gravel, I realized how important it is to bring only the essentials and travel light. If you can wash your clothes at the end of the day, perhaps at your hotel, you can reuse the same clothes for many days, significantly reducing your luggage size.
Upon returning from the Veneto region, I immediately consulted my usual advisors about the need to create a jersey dedicated to long bikepacking rides, with features specifically designed to be the perfect travel companion.
To be honest, Mac (Marco Casadio) had already suggested creating specific clothing for multi-day tours, only by trying the experience firsthand did I fully understand his suggestions.
Before proceeding with the design of the jersey, we first consulted internally, drawing up a list of technical characteristics that the garment needed to possess to fulfill its important purpose. After identifying a series of key points, we asked for your opinion, which confirmed most of our assumptions, also adding some very interesting new insights.
The key points identified for the new travel jersey were to be:
- Quick-drying fabric
- Large pockets
- Comfortable fit and breathable materials
- Ability to be folded easily
The jersey's base fabric is the heart of the product; it must allow for quick drying and breathability during your time in the saddle. By choosing a quick-drying yarn, we also create a garment that can be washed every evening, leaving it perfectly dry and ready to wear the next day.
2 - Large pockets:
Since it's a jersey designed for travel, it needs to make it easy to carry everything you need along the way, so it needs to have plenty of roomy, easily accessible pockets.
3 - Comfortable fit and breathable materials:
We'll be wearing this jersey for many hours, even during breaks. We want to achieve a comfortable fit, creating a mix of materials and design that creates a comfortable garment to wear in any circumstance.
4 - Possibility of being easily folded:
When choosing clothing for a bikepacking adventure, one of the key elements is how easy it is to store it in your bags, so the folded jersey needs to take up as little space as possible.
Great, the fundamentals were clear, all that's left is to move on to the next step: design, which we'll cover in the next article.
