{"id":55468,"title":"Cached In: The Story Behind the Design","description":"Discover the story behind Cached In, a minimalist squirrel illustration printed on organic cotton, inspired by the survival instincts of a squirrel.","content":"

Something keeps catching the corner of my eye, dashing and darting around the garden, running up the fence by my house, sitting right by my open window. Acting as a distraction while I\u2019m working, a welcomed distraction at that. You may have guessed what it is<\/strong> \u2013 squirrels, going about their day. There are around 3 to 4 frequent visitors to the garden and one is mostly white!<\/p>

They keep themselves busy all year round and in autumn they start to cache their food ready for when they\u2019ll need it during winter. Forward thinkers, born survivors, mapping geniuses<\/strong>.<\/p>

The inspiration behind one of my latest designs \u2013 Cached In<\/em>.<\/p>

The Design and Product<\/h3>

\"jsvcyiqq3g2gtzfcfsojlqsoy1ouaky3kkymr9nm33ca0mp2.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&project=animalistic-437242&v=2\"Cached In <\/em>is a minimalist illustration of a squirrel with a heart-shaped nose, happily sitting on a log after relocating a nut they cached. Currently available in my signature range<\/u><\/a> - printed large in black on a soft, oat-coloured organic cotton tee <\/strong>for men <\/u><\/a>and women<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>

Designed for those who appreciate wildlife, minimal design, and clothing that respects the planet. It's earthy tones and clean, crisp lines make it an easy everyday essential.<\/p>

\ud83c\udf3f<\/span> 100% organic cotton<\/strong><\/p>

\u267b\ufe0f<\/span> Made to be remade<\/strong> in a circular production system<\/p>

\ud83c\udf31<\/span> Vegan approved<\/strong><\/p>

\u26a1<\/span> Manufactured using renewable energy<\/strong><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

The Story<\/h3>

Have you ever sat and watched a squirrel, have you ever spotted one in the distance \u2013 at a park, in the woods, in your garden and just watched it<\/strong>\u2026\u2026.<\/p>

There\u2019s something quietly captivating about them. They are continually going about their business and are endlessly engaging. Finding that precious item they buried weeks before, remembering where it is<\/strong>, digging for it but staying in full alert mode. Retrieving something immensely valuable to them in that moment.<\/p>

I was watching one squirrel in my garden, he\u2019d gone from one area to another, dug in my plant pot, darted to the other side of the garden and rooted around the soil, ran to another plant pot and finally retrieved<\/strong> what he was looking for, a nut of some sort. This sparked my design, when he finally cached in<\/strong>. The garden was quiet apart from some nearby birds and here\u2019s this little squirrel quietly celebrating and I imagine relieved that he found it, and he enjoyed the moment. He once gathered that nut, mapped out the perfect place for it, stored it, remembered it and instinctively retrieved it \u2013 it deserves a mini celebration right!<\/strong><\/p>

Simplicity is intentional in my designs; they reflect not only the clean aesthetic of the design but also the clarity of the moment that inspired it<\/strong>. No unnecessary detail needed. Just the squirrel and his cache.<\/p>

Some Reflection<\/h3>

Caching is an act of trust in the future, setting something aside for a moment when it will matter most. For us,<\/strong> Cached In<\/em> goes beyond a squirrel storing food; it reflects how we store ideas, energy, memories, and hopes for another day, trusting we\u2019ll return to them<\/strong> when the time is right.<\/p>

For me, I started Animalistic a few years ago while working full time. I dabbled in designs and ideas, thought about brand values but I never really had the time to invest in it. I stored away ideas of how I wanted the brand to grow. Little nuggets and visions of the future. Until I had time to return to them, to find them again and quietly celebrate when ideas started to turn to reality<\/strong>.<\/p>

  • What do you cache away?<\/p><\/li>

  • What are your stored ideas?<\/p><\/li>

  • Do you know when you will return to them to retrieve them?<\/p><\/li>

  • Is there something you\u2019ve cached and you\u2019ve now remembered?<\/p><\/li><\/ul>

    <\/p>

    Take-home message<\/strong><\/h3>

    It can be hard to find the time though; the squirrel needs his cache to survive, he\u2019s present and focused on finding what matters when it matters. Grounded in a single, meaningful action. Yet it still doesn\u2019t always work out, sometimes his cache may have been stolen by another squirrel or dug up by humans, and he will never find it. But he keeps going<\/strong>, <\/strong>on to the next one. It can be imperfect, but it still works.<\/p>

    It\u2019s important to take the time to observe nature, watch how it works, be patient and connect. Notice what\u2019s happening all around us and learn from it. It\u2019s about finding inspiration in the everyday and realising that sometimes, the smallest scenes hold the biggest ideas.<\/strong><\/p>

    Take 5 minutes to look out into your garden or think about something you\u2019ve cached away.<\/u><\/p>

    \"lkq3qzfexytsw9gdcpc4h87s2jp9ahlvupentkii4jvrosnd.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=auto\"<\/p>

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