we are often approached by people wanting to brand our products with their name and logo. what is known in the industry as private label. it is a common practice. if you've ever used a celebrity brand, most likely you have experienced a private label.

think of it like a build a bear workshop. the framework is already there. you choose which basic thing you want. choose how you want to dress it up, add a few flourishes and then make it smell good. the fabulous celebrity shopped what was on offer with the private lab's sales office and then slapped a pretty label on it. any claim "i've created a line of products that i've personally selected the.." is a little disingenuousness. but you get it. celebrity private label often means that you are paying for the brand rather than for the thing itself. when done well, you can get a really great product. otherwise it’s mediocre and boujiee.

history gives us many entrepreneurs who have created quality brands that deserve legendary status. brands like Madam C.J. Walker, Patagonia, Kelloggs, Ralph Lauren, Bonne Maman, Lego, The Body Shop and more. they create the basic framework, product or formula from scratch. they sold what they made. they created, innovated and improved their own product concept that eventually they grew into massive successful operations. these are the people we look to for inspiration.

while duross & langel might never grow beyond it's current size, our mindset is the same as those to whom we look for inspiration. focus on the product. make the best thing you possibly can. improve it whenever possible. count on the quality to bring success. not the name. not the hype.

authenticity is not a buzz word to be thrown out in a press release or mission statement. like love, it is a verb. an action. a way of being that permeates the endeavor itself. so while we are happy to co-branded for a private event, we are a hard no for private labeling. and that's okay. not everyone has to be a massive financial success. while that idea would be lovely, we have wonderful lives and still love coming to work everyday. so that is saying something.