“Why not?” For founders Lee Hartman and Corban Warrington, consistently asking that question has led to the evergreen success of luxury cooler box brand, Fieldbar.

Through relentless pursuit and borderless creativity, they have built a lifetime accessory with timeless style, and everything is handcrafted – from the coveted products to the striking artwork used in its social marketing. Since the launch of its flagship product, the Drinks Box, the brand has expanded its catalogue and its audience, as it now ships chic cooler boxes and fine outdoor goods to safarigoers, beach baskers and travellers across the globe. We chat with Hartman, Warrington and the Fieldbar team about innovative design, trusting human talent in the machine age and leaning on authenticity to stand out.

The Fieldbar team, featuring Corban Warrington, Lee Hartman and Taimi Paulino (from left to right).

What was the inspiration behind Fieldbar?

Corban: To create a desirable product in an undesirable category.

People put a lot of time, money and effort into what they wear, what they do and where they go, but we saw a gap when analysing this in an outdoor setting. Cooler boxes are functional products, but we asked, why can’t they make you look good, feel good and be functional?

What drove the design approach?

Corban: Timelessness. We didn’t want to bring another product into the world just for the sake of it. The design needed to survive the test of time (and trends), so not only would it physically last a lifetime but it would also never go out of fashion.

How is sustainability incorporated into the production?

Corban: The very structure of a Fieldbar cooler box makes it sustainable. A product that is modular and made out of multiple parts that can all be repaired, recycled and replaced. This ensures that if something does need repairing, you are only replacing those affected parts rather than discarding the entire product.

The brand has grown globally in recent years. What’s been the highlight of this journey?

Corban: The validation of knowing that our product and brand can compete on an international level. We want to show the world that South Africa can be a contender in the big leagues. We still have a ways to go, but the response we’ve had from international markets has been really positive and it keeps the entire team driven to keep pushing a world-class standard.

The Fieldbar social marketing team always creates striking visuals that almost look AI-generated. What’s the secret?

Corban: Raw human talent!

Kristen: We consider ourselves a ‘high effort’ creative business. This means we are less concerned with efficiency and more focused on originality. AI tools are wonderful as a sounding board, but we try to avoid using them to generate any of our creative – we feel something intangible gets lost in the process – and the results can be generic. So what you are referring to as ‘AI’ on our socials was actually produced by a highly talented multimedia designer (and it took weeks!).

 

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What business strategies have helped Fieldbar stand out?

Corban: The ‘Why not?’ strategy. If a supplier says it can’t be done, we challenge them to try it anyway – same when it comes to how we innovate. Why not try to do it differently from how other companies are doing it? We stay true to our core principles that are intuitive in our team and we encourage them to keep pushing the boundaries. It’s not even a ‘strategy’. We are doing what comes naturally and we’re having fun while doing it.

A field day isn’t complete without a Fieldbar. Where do you take yours and what’s stashed in your Drinks Box?

Corban: Sunset picnic on a boulder by the sea (it’s a secret spot) – Rosé for the wife, beer shandy for me and some mini ciabatta rolls, a ball of burrata, basil pesto and salami for the ultimate sandwich.

Everyone wants a Fieldbar. How does the team keep up with the demand while maintaining quality?

Corban: Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Because they are all handmade, you can only go as fast as those hands allow. It has been our biggest challenge trying to scale a handcrafted production line to meet the demands, but we are continuously working on more effective systems and tools to streamline production. We are choosing to grow at a set pace rather than explode our production to maintain the quality.

Invenfin backed your vision. What advice do you have for entrepreneurs seeking investors?

Lee: Before going to any investor, you need to prove that there is a real demand for your product and show, in detail, your scaling plan. I always like to think of capital raising along the lines of ‘ideas need money, and money needs ideas’.

Corban: Find investors that allow you to keep ‘doing you’. You want someone to back your idea, not take over your idea. Invenfin has been incredible with providing insight and aiding where needed, while still trusting us to keep doing what we are doing.

What’s next for Fieldbar?

Corban: We’ve got a few ‘mini’ ideas in the pipeline.

For more about Fieldbar, visit the website and follow them on socials. 

fieldbar.co.za | Instagram | Facebook