Small States: Former Nike designer brings together form and function with the Spool Dock, multiple giveaways

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Small States features small companies that design and manufacture within the United States.

What makes a great product? Quality materials. Simple yet functional design. Beautiful craftsmanship. This week, we’ve found a dock that manages to check off everything on the list.

Meet the Spool Dock from Quell & Company. The home for your iPhone and iPad mini that not only looks beautiful, but also functions beautifully.

It is the first dock I’ve used that truly made me want to interact with it. With the Spool Dock it goes beyond charging your phone, it’s an experience.

Hand crafted using home grown wood and wool felt, this dock is capable of more than your average charging station from the Apple Store. It is a well-thought-out design that adjusts for a wide variety of scenarios in a way most cannot.

With its two adjustable wood and felt holders, the Spool Dock can resize to fit your device with or without a case. Additionally, the metal base rotates using a ball bearing system that winds your Lightning cable into the dock itself. This clever design makes Spool Dock one of our favorite charging solutions for frequent travelers.

It is no surprise that the Spool Dock has a well-thought-out design, creator Jeremy Saxton has spent his whole life working with some of the greatest design companies in the world. From his time in Oregon working on Nike+ to designing outdoor gear for Black Diamond, Jeremy has worked with some of the best. With the Spool Dock, he saw an opportunity to improve on an area lacking in innovation.

“With the Spool Dock I felt there was room to improve the charging experience.” Jeremy says of the initial thought process, “At my house the cable situation was out of control and solving that problem was my goal.”

Instead of focusing on the actual charging function, Jeremy first set out to create a dock that blended in with its surroundings instead of blending in with the device.

“I observed that the typical charging station was only occupied for a fraction of the day. Similar to a nice vase, we wanted it to look right at home whether it was being used or not. With the dock I saw an opportunity to create something warmer, more human that I’d want to be in my modern home.”

In the end, what Jeremy created was a beautiful solution to a need that often goes unaddressed in the tech world.

“The goal ultimately was to create something that had a touch of the past. With woods that are simple while still making the functionality of the product the main feature. Making a dock that was almost primative in nature but had a functionality that was very advanced.”

For the majority of us, the Apple charging block and Lightning cable included with our device is the solution. However, this setup leaves something to be desired for those with an eye for aesthetics. While Apple certainly is known for creating beautiful devices, sometimes a little assistance showcasing the product makes all the difference. With Spool Dock, you feel like your device is beautifully on display – much like a piece of artwork in your home.

The beauty however lies when your phone is not charging, the dock fits right in while still being a conversation starter. That in itself is certainly an impressive feat.

“It’s a very holistically designed product, no matter how you turn it there really is not a front or a back. It’s a 360 degree designed product. The goal is to integrate the form and function in the most human way possible.”

We certainly found the Spool Dock from Quell & Company to be a gorgeous addition to our office space. It interfaces well with the device, while creating the perfect angle for utilizing what the iPhone has to offer. The Spool Dock certainly would be a great addition to any home, especially those with a keen eye for simple design.

Quell & Company is offering an exclusive 10% off promo code for 9to5Toys readers. Simply visit their website and enter 9to5Toys during the checkout process.

This week, we’ve got three Spool Docks to giveaway to our readers in the color of their choice. To enter this giveaway, follow @9to5Toys on Twitter and retweet the article. If Facebook is more your thing, Like us and share this article with your friends. Additionally, you can leave a comment at the bottom of this article to enter the giveaway as well. We’ll choose three winners next Saturday. Good luck!

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