Meet Aspinline's Customers: I See Sea's Christopher J Porter

Meet Christopher J Porter, the owner of the online collection I See Sea. Christopher is based in Falmouth, Cornwall and specialises in print-based design solutions. Last October he launched his I See Sea collection of pins and patches, aimed at ending the stigma of talking about mental illness, especially for his generation (people aged 20-35).

Aspinline has been working with Christopher for a while now, and recently worked on his latest I See Sea embroidered patch that says ‘Acknowledgment is Power’ (pictured below). This patch (along with all of Christopher’s I See Sea products) is very intriguing and compelling. We had the chance to speak with Christopher about this patch and our work with him, and here’s what he had to say.

What has been your overall experience working with Aspinline?

“I did my research when I first started. I was looking for people to manufacture pins and patches, and Aspinline was the most helpful. You guys gave brilliant guidance, helped throughout the whole process, and told me how it would work. That’s when I knew these were the guys!”

How is it working with the Aspinline team?

“Great! I love the help from the design department. Working with them is really useful at helping resolve any issues and making sure that the design is retained as closely as possible, but still reproduces really well as a pin or patch… Everyone’s always been really friendly and open to questions. I’ve never felt like I was bothering anyone with anything and I am always involved throughout the entire process. Every time I make an order,  it arrives sooner than expected… And I love the smiley emojis - it is really nice and makes a difference, like I’m building a relationship.”

What will you be using your new patch for?

“It will be part of the I See Sea collection. The idea [behind the I See Sea collection] is that these are subtly messaged products. Through subtly hinted design, pointed towards mental health awareness, they’re used as little badges of honour. The anxious pin for example, might spark conversation and help people see that they’re not the only ones who feel anxious. It’s a subtle way of signifying that you go through it too. Some are even more subtle. I like that people read into different things in each of the products. Through my own journey I learned that lots of my peers are dealing with their own mental health. I based this collection around my own journey.”

How has Aspinline helped you?

“Aspinline has helped me grow my collection. The difficulty with launching your own store is budget will refrain you from having very many products, but consumers are more likely to buy into a product when you have a larger range. They’re much more invested in a collection if you have a range. Aspinline is helping expand I See Sea’s range and solidifies my business. Without Aspinline, I wouldn’t be able to do this. Aspinline is helping me go to the next level.”

Can you tell us about the quality of your Aspinline orders?

“The quality has been great. Every order has been really good quality. The designs have been reproduced really well and are very close to what I originally invision, and last very well. The [cloisonné] pins are very durable and the black rubber clutches that were recommended to me were the best to go with. I ordered my first patches and pins about a year ago, and wear them on my denim jacket everyday - there’s no scratches at all and they look as good as they did on day one. My new patch is perfect. The representation of my design is great. It’s sturdy, and I really like the quality of the merrowed edge. Great sense and quality and no complaints.”

Would you recommend Aspinline products?

“I constantly recommend you guys. Aspinline is one of the affiliates on the about page on I See Sea. I made sure Aspinline was included on it and on my Etsy page. When people ask me about my manufacturers, I send them your way. I actually recommended Aspinline to my other workplace, Kingdom and Sparrow, a food and alcohol branding agency. Aspinline made a pin for them to embellish labels, and it turned out great. My agency was really happy and the client was really happy as well.”

We love working with Christopher and helping him grow his I See Sea collection. We’re very pleased to play a part in his efforts to raise awareness and end stigma about mental health. If you’d like to join the conversation as well, use Christopher’s hashtag: #AcknowledgementIsPower

Want to make your own custom patch order like Christopher did? You can order online here or contact us today - 0117 956 6657 / [email protected].