Made in America: how Cold Cuts turned a list of bookmarks into a community-driven visual directory

Made Index is home to the best American-made products. Linking off to more than 400 sites, the visual directory marries the experience of supporting local makers with the ease of buying from an online superstore – housing several businesses in one place. It was originally created as a way for the founder to collate and share their bookmarked US-made products with their friends. Today, as a growing index, it allows users to sort, shop and submit their favourite brands. Brooklyn-based brand studio Cold Cuts assisted the index in not only finding an appropriate name, but delivering an equally-fitting identity. For the site’s founder, the index is less about abundant patriotism and more about championing local businesses, independent creators and communities. Therefore, Cold Cuts opted for a ‘nation-agnostic’ route for the name. This subtle and sincere approach continues in the design direction, with a visual language anchored by the classic American sans: Franklin Gothic. This is accompanied by a red, white and blue colour palette and a cute, light-hearted mark inspired by the mascots of early US manufacturing. “With enough demand,” the studio tells us, “the brand should be able to spin off into new regions and adopt new nation-specific colours or typefaces in the future.”