The Call

An agency partner called us with a problem they couldn’t solve. Their client — a major retail brand — wanted a giveaway prize for in-store promotions. Nothing ordinary. They wanted something that screamed quality and Canadian charm. The idea: A miniature Muskoka chair. Handcrafted-looking. Real wood. Detailed. Recognizable. Several dozen units. Retail-quality presentation. Ready for store shelves. The agency had been pitching this idea to their client for weeks. Now the client was ready to move forward.

But nobody knew how to actually make it. They called us. “Can you figure this out?” Most vendors would have said no. “That’s not what we do.” We said: “Let’s figure it out together.” 

The Challenge

This was a completely custom build. Not packaging. Not print. Not standard production.

The Design Problem:

• A Muskoka chair, but miniature
  • Proportions had to be perfect — if the scale was off, it wouldn’t look like a real chair
  • Had to look handcrafted, not mass-produced
  • Needed to be recognizable at a glance

The Material Problem:

• Had to be real wood (not plastic or resin)
  • Wood had to look quality-grade
  • Finish had to be smooth and professional
  • Color/stain had to enhance the look, not cheapen it

The Manufacturing Problem:

• Precision wood cutting
  • Laser cutting for the details and joinery
  • Assembly had to be simple enough for scale production
  • Each piece had to fit perfectly

The Production Problem:

• Several dozen units in a timeline
  • Quality control on each one
  • Packaging that matched the quality of the product
  • Cost per unit had to work at retail

The Execution

Step 1: Design & Prototyping We didn’t just guess. We created prototypes: 

• Researched Muskoka chair proportions and design
  • Built initial scale models to test proportions
  • Tested different woods — which looked best, which worked with laser cutting
  • Created technical drawings for the laser cutter
  • Built the first prototype, reviewed it, iterated

Step 2: Laser Cutting & Wood Selection Once the design was locked: 

• Selected premium wood for the final units
  • Set up laser cutting parameters for precision
  • Tested cuts on scrap wood first (no mistakes on the real material)
  • Created jigs to ensure consistency across all units

Step 3: Hand Assembly & Finishing Each chair was hand-assembled: 

• Wood pieces fit together with precision joinery
  • Sanded smooth for a finished feel
  • Stained/finished to enhance the wood grain
  • Quality inspected for consistency

No two were identical because wood is organic — but every one looked handcrafted and premium.

Step 4: Packaging & Presentation

The chair itself was beautiful. The unboxing had to match: 

• Custom boxes that protected the chair during shipping
  • Presentation-ready packaging for retail shelves
  • Card with story of the chair (the “why” behind it)
  • Branded to match the client’s retail aesthetic

Result:

• Several dozen beautiful miniature Muskoka chairs
  • Looked authentically handcrafted
  • Real wood, premium quality
  • Perfect proportions and detail
  • Ready for retail shelves
  • Customers loved it — became a collector’s item
  • Agency partner looked like a genius for pitching it

The Lesson

When someone says “we don’t know how to do this,” that’s an opportunity.

The agency came to us stuck. They’d pitched something their client loved, but couldn’t figure out the execution. Most vendors would have turned them away. Too custom. Too risky. Not our wheelhouse.

We said yes because we understood the problem: 

• It wasn’t about being a furniture maker (we’re not)
  • It was about understanding design, materials, precision manufacturing, and finishing
  • It was about saying “we don’t know, but we’ll figure it out”

We sourced the right people. We tested. We iterated. We delivered. And what started as a stumped agency partner ended with a successful product that customers actually wanted to keep.

If you have a concept that nobody else will touch, that’s where we thrive. We’ve sourced wood chairs, stuffies, glass vases, custom games, and algorithms. We’ve figured out how to make things that seemed impossible. If you’re stuck on something, call us. We’ll figure it out.