Earth Day (Tuesday, April 22) is the perfect time for Minneapolis-based Woodchuck (profiled in the April issue of Mpls.St.Paul Magazine) to launch a new website and 50 new USA-made reclaimed wood products including a wooden pocket square. Yes, it’s a little, ahem, stiff, but that just makes it fashion foolproof: no folding necessary, round edges to fit any pocket width and a suede back for traction. Take a close look at your local news anchors on Tuesday—a few of them will be wearing the Woodchuck pocket square, says Woodchuck founder Ben Vandenwymelenberg. The pocket square will be available online, for $55.
The new website, woodchuckusa.com replaces woodchuckcase.com to reflect the company's move beyond its first product idea: wood skins for mobile devices—to create a connection between nature and technology. As Vandenwymelenberg said in our interview for the magazine, “I’m always trying to figure out what we can Woodchuck next,” and to that end, his company is also launching wood covered flasks, cuff links, tie clips and new journal sizes.
Woodchuck is also teaming up with Wisconsin-based Allen Edmonds on a Father’s Day gift box that will include a wooden journal, flask and cufflinks (price yet to be set). It will be available at a dozen Allen Edmonds stores across the country, including Minneapolis, and could be the beginning of an ongoing relationship with the national menswear retailer.
