Meet Chaplin, where fun meets function in the form of handcrafted, custom canes. This company, an outcrop of the WISE APE design studio in Fort Collins, is a pandemic project-turned-small-business that’s helping people get around in style.
Like many local businesses, WISE APE founder Erik Cox found himself with less work and a need for a creative outlet last year. An encounter with an old friend who was using a cane for an injury inspired a creative thought - what if there was a cooler cane? One designed both for function and to help the user feel more stylish in recovery?
Chaplin Canes are crafted from American White Ash by one of the last American cane makers in New York, a fifth-generation family-owned business founded in 1902. All Chaplin designs are limited runs that Erik masks, paints, and finishes by hand. Chaplin Canes are cut to order and come in various designs and colors to compliment the personalities of every customer. Customers are raving that these canes make them feel and look better while they get from A to B.
Chaplin Canes reflect the “smart creative” approach at WISE APE in which design is intended with functionality. WISE APE is a house of both intuition and experience, and the Chaplin Canes side project is no exception. “With much of my time spent on the computer it’s rewarding to have a project where I can work with my hands,” says Erik. “The shape of a cane is so simple and elegant— it’s a bit like decorating an Eames chair.”
Learn more about Chaplin Canes at chaplincane.com.
Learn more about WISE APE at wise-ape.com.