# 036: Helping Wildlife & Developing Ceramic Products with Gavin Christman of Green&Blue

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2017-01-17
- Length: 57m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-01-17-036-helping-wildlife-developing-ceramic-products-with-gavin-christman-of-green-b
- Listen: http://theproductstartup.com/tps036-helping-wildlife-developing-ceramic-products-gavin-christman-greenblue/

## Summary

Gavin Christman, co-founder of Green&Blue, explains how his background at Dyson instilled a design philosophy of stripping products to their essential functions, which he applied to creating the Bird Ball and Bee Brick. He details the decision to avoid 'one-stop-shop' manufacturing in favor of piecemeal sourcing from UK ceramicists and concrete casters to maintain quality control and product integrity. Christman discusses the importance of building direct relationships with retailers, using trade shows strategically, and leveraging IP protection like patents and NDAs to safeguard designs while scaling production through partnerships with large concrete companies.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-01-17-036-helping-wildlife-developing-ceramic-products-with-gavin-christman-of-green-b#t=0) Introduction: Gavin Christman and Green&Blue
- [2:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-01-17-036-helping-wildlife-developing-ceramic-products-with-gavin-christman-of-green-b#t=158) Dyson's Influence on Design Philosophy
- [5:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-01-17-036-helping-wildlife-developing-ceramic-products-with-gavin-christman-of-green-b#t=306) Developing the Bird Ball and Wildlife-Centric Design
- [12:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-01-17-036-helping-wildlife-developing-ceramic-products-with-gavin-christman-of-green-b#t=771) Leaving Corporate Jobs to Launch Green&Blue
- [17:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-01-17-036-helping-wildlife-developing-ceramic-products-with-gavin-christman-of-green-b#t=1027) Pricing, Margins, and Retailer Relationships
- [22:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-01-17-036-helping-wildlife-developing-ceramic-products-with-gavin-christman-of-green-b#t=1342) Why Green&Blue Avoids One-Stop-Shop Manufacturing
- [27:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-01-17-036-helping-wildlife-developing-ceramic-products-with-gavin-christman-of-green-b#t=1623) Trade Shows, Retailer Feedback, and Product Iteration
- [33:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-01-17-036-helping-wildlife-developing-ceramic-products-with-gavin-christman-of-green-b#t=2037) Prototyping Strategies: Cardboard to Fiberglass
- [37:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-01-17-036-helping-wildlife-developing-ceramic-products-with-gavin-christman-of-green-b#t=2270) The Bee Brick: Designing for Solitary Bees
- [47:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-01-17-036-helping-wildlife-developing-ceramic-products-with-gavin-christman-of-green-b#t=2875) Scaling Production with Concrete Casting Partners
- [49:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-01-17-036-helping-wildlife-developing-ceramic-products-with-gavin-christman-of-green-b#t=2970) IP Protection, NDAs, and Final Advice

## Topics

- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Intellectual property](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/intellectual-property)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Dyson (company)
- Green&Blue (company)
- Bird Ball (product)
- Bee Brick (product)
- Mako Design + Invent (company)

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- [Afterschool Podcast, Episode 7 - Catherine Bailey (10/1)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2013-11-05-afterschool-podcast-episode-7-catherine-bailey-10-1) (Core77 Podcast)
- [Product Design with Simone Giertz](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2022-06-07-product-design-with-simone-giertz) (The Amp Hour)
- [19: Smushed by the Gears of Industry](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2016-09-29-19-smushed-by-the-gears-of-industry) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [Advice Line with Chieh Huang of Boxed](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-04-16-advice-line-with-chieh-huang-of-boxed) (How I Built This)

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