Learn why we stuck a cabinet in the woods for 10 months
Slightly over a year ago, we were brainstorming ways to demonstrate the outrageous durability of Shield’s solid surface products. We wanted to capture the high-quality nature of the material in a way that went beyond simply telling you that it’s durable over and over again.
So in September of 2014, we built one of our signature boxes with our unique process and patented embedded metal inserts. You, our friends and fans, named it Shelfie. We drove it out to a wide-open field in small-town Kansas, attached it to a tree stump and hit record on the GoPro.
Ten months later – in July of 2015 – we returned to our little friend and found it looking just about as good as it did in September, despite the heat, rain, ice and snow. Just in case we took it to a carwash to clean it.
But don’t take our word for it;
see for yourself.
So why did we do it?
We believe products should be built to last with meticulous attention to every detail. By showing you how well Shelfie could endure the outdoors (and all that comes with it) for 10 months, we gave you a taste of our philosophy. Only cabinets crafted with extreme attention and care can do what Shelfie did—and that’s what we do every day. We carefully craft products that will last.
Why? Well, first, we don’t want the idea and practice of craftsmanship to die. We believe that with craftsmanship comes meaningful work, but if we stop valuing and buying craftsmanship, we stand to lose the very idea that making something with care and expertise is worthwhile.
Second, we don’t want our environment to suffer, either. Modern society is all about convenience. Objects are cheaply designed and cheaply crafted, and when they break, they’re thrown into the landfill, where they release dangerous greenhouse gases. Worse, we’re running out of space to stick our one-and-done products, and it’s having detrimental effects on the environment.
Finally, we care about our clients. We’re all people, here. If we, as individuals, want the products we buy to last more than a measly year, then the products we sell should do the same. Your hard-earned money should be well-spent. We respect that.
So we stuck a cabinet in the wilderness for 10 months to show you just how much we care. And maybe also to have a little fun.
Read about the adventure from Shelfie’s point of view:
Read the full (passive aggressive) narrative
Hi, I’m Shelfie. In September 2014, the Shieldren told me I was going on a luxurious, ten-month, all-expenses-paid vacation and, like any normal cabinet, I was stoked.
Then I arrived at my “vacation” spot: a tree trunk in the middle of a large overgrown field. The Shieldren nailed me to the trunk, set a camera up in front of me (I guess to mock me) and left.
I stayed out there for ten months. Ten. Months. By myself. I endured a wildfire, heavy storms, freezing winter snows, dirt and bugs, and intense heat.
I think it’s safe to say I now have abandonment issues…
