Fieldnote
Brand identity, 2025
Overview
A visual identity for a seed library that lends packets of heirloom seeds. The system grows from one cut-paper shape that changes with the season.
- Role
- Lead designer
- Scope
- Logo, packaging, signage
- Team
- Solo designer, 3 library volunteers
- Duration
- 10 weeks
- Platform
- Print, signage, web
- Tools
- Illustrator, Figma, risograph
The problem
The library had no brand and a tiny budget. It needed something members could recognise on a packet, a sign and a tote bag without a style guide.
Goals
- Make the library recognisable at a glance
- Work on packets, signs and totes without a style guide
- Stay inside a very small print budget
Success metrics
- Packet loans per month
- Volunteers applying the brand unaided
- Cost per packet printed
Research
Methods
- Interviewed 8 members and 3 volunteers
- Audited 20 seed libraries and garden shops
- Observed two Saturday lending sessions
Key insights
Members choose by feel
People picked packets by colour and illustration before reading any name.
Volunteers improvise
Signs were handwritten on whatever was nearby, so the identity had to survive being copied by hand.
Handmade builds trust
Members trusted the library more when it looked cared for, not corporate.
Who it is for
Meera, 34
First-time gardener who borrows seeds monthly“I want it to feel friendly, not like a shop.”
Needs
- A quick way to find easy plants
- Clear sowing instructions
Frustrations
- Packets look identical on the shelf
- Handwritten labels are hard to read
Defining the opportunity
How might we make a volunteer-run library look cared for without a designer on hand?
Design
I cut a single leaf shape from paper and photographed it in four seasonal colours. That shape became the logo, the packet pattern and the shelf signage.
Key decisions
One shape, many seasons
A single leaf cut from paper became the core mark, recoloured each season.
Colour-coded difficulty
Packet colours signal sowing difficulty, so beginners can choose at a glance.
Templates volunteers can copy
Stamp and sticker templates keep handmade labels on brand.
Key visuals
Testing and iteration
- Round 1: showed three logo routes to 12 members. The leaf mark won, but its small version lost detail.
- Round 2: simplified the leaf and tested packets on the shelf. Members found a beginner packet noticeably faster.
Results
Loans tripled in the first year and volunteers began making their own packets in the same style.
Reflection
Tight constraints made the system better. Next I would add a simple web catalogue using the same colour system.