JAMAICAN-THEMED souvenirs are a staple of the island’s tourism economy, but for Cadine Pryce what was missing was not the Jamaican branding — it was the Jamaican manufacturing behind it.

“I just wanted to fill that gap where you can get locally produced items that look internationally made,” said Cadine Pryce, founder and creative director of Cap Creative Studios, in an interview with the Jamaica Observer.

The idea was broader than traditional souvenirs, with Pryce envisioning personalised merchandise for corporate events, weddings and other occasions. Now just over a year old, the business began with one-inch personalised key rings. She initially made them for friends for someone’s birthday, but as she began searching for customers and thinking about how to scale the business, demand started influencing the direction of the company. Customers began asking for other products that they could personally brand. That prompted Pryce to begin researching what other items she could produce, eventually bringing her back to the souvenir market that had inspired the business in the first place. Magnets caught her attention. Pryce wanted to understand where the Jamaican-branded magnets sold in souvenir and hotel shops were coming from, so she started asking store workers and owners.

“Just asking, just asking the workers in the store, the owners, ‘Where do you purchase your magnets?’ They get them in from China in bulk,” she said. “When you look at some of the tags as well you will see ‘Made in China’. Or you would see the PRC, which is the People’s Republic of China.”

Personalised compact mirrors are among the products offered by Cap Creative Studios and one of the company’s top sellers.

Rather than simply reproducing the conventional souvenir magnet, Pryce began looking for a way to make the product more useful. The result was a bottle-cap fridge magnet that also functions as a bottle opener. The choice of the bottle-cap design was partly rooted in Jamaican culture and partly in practicality.

“Jamaicans love beer,” Pryce said.

The idea was to combine the souvenir with something customers could actually use.

“Oftentimes we get gifts, and we get souvenirs, and we throw them down. But when it’s something that’s also functional you’ll have it right then and there with you and remember,” Pryce said.

The reverse side of Cap Creative Studios’ bottle-cap magnets shows the built-in bottle-opening mechanism.

The bottle-cap openers, along with compact mirrors, were added to the business’ product line in January this year. But bringing those products to market required more than simply identifying an idea. Pryce said the process involved researching suppliers, experimenting with production techniques, and finding the right methods to create products that would last. The compact mirrors emerged through the same product development process. Pryce saw the appeal of a small, functional item that customers could carry in their bags and use regularly.

“The mirrors, too, are very functional as well. Every girl likes that it’s a compact mirror for their bags to put on their makeup, lip gloss, or whatever it is,” she said.

Product development is still ongoing. Pryce said she has other additions in the pipeline, although she is not yet ready to disclose what they are because they remain in the research and development phase. Social media has also become part of that research process.

“Over time your algorithm [on social media] will suggest things, just seeing how feasible they are in the market,” she said.

Bottle-cap magnets from Cap Creative Studios double as bottle openers, combining a Jamaican keepsake with a practical function.

For now, the bottle-opener magnets and compact mirrors have emerged as the company’s two top sellers. While developing products has been an important part of building Cap Creative Studios, Pryce said the bigger challenge has been getting them into stores. And that same import market has also created one of Pryce’s biggest hurdles: price.

“As I was saying before, lots of the souvenirs are made in China so I can’t necessarily compete with some of the prices that these local stores are getting from ordering in bulk.”

That has made gaining visibility in some of the popular stores in Kingston and tourist areas difficult. Still, Cap Creative Studios has secured a foothold at the Montego Bay Cultural Centre while its personalised merchandise business has largely grown through referrals. The business also maintains a catalogue and Instagram page through which customers can view its products and make contact. For now, Cap Creative Studios’ sales remain local but Pryce is working towards expanding the company’s reach. Her participation in the Christmas in July expo has created opportunities to connect with organisations supporting Jamaican businesses, including the Tourism Enhancement Fund and the Jamaica Business Development Corporation. Pryce is hoping those relationships will help open the door to international sales and wider distribution.

“So, hopefully, I’ll be getting some international sales, and my products will be widely distributed,” she told the Sunday Finance.

Jamaican-themed souvenir magnets from Cap Creative Studios, featuring local expressions, imagery and designs.

The long-term ambition is to make Cap Creative Studios a recognised Jamaican brand for locally produced merchandise, and to build corporate partnerships that provide the business with another avenue for growth.

“The aim is for Cap Creative to be known as a household name, a company where you can get quality Jamaican-made products. And land corporate partnerships,” she said.

Cap Creative Studios produces personalised key rings featuring Jamaican-themed designs and messages.

PRYCE…just asking, just asking the workers in the store, the owners, ‘Where do you purchase your magnets?’ They get them in from China in bulk… When you look at some of the tags as well you will see ‘Made in China’. Or you would see the PRC, which is the People’s Republic of China.