Formerly Shelton Group
TO ERM HOME
Work

CottonWorks Website
Live. Laugh. Cotton.

Client: Cotton Incorporated

Design Writing Strategy Video Influencer Marketing Social Media

Cotton is a natural, biodegradable fiber, and a more sustainable choice than synthetics for textiles. CottonWorks™, the educational arm of Cotton Incorporated, helps textile professionals learn about the benefits of cotton and even experiment with designing with it through their website.

The problem? Their website needed some beautification, updating and user-friendly touches to make it more functional and enjoyable for visitors. So, our cotton-loving team put on our favorite denim jeans and comfy cotton t-shirts, and set to work.

Informative, beautiful and more functional than ever

Hundreds of content pages. Piecemeal additions. A navigation menu with dozens of sub items.  Technical issues and an inability to add new content with ease.  This site had to be rebuilt from the ground up.  

We had to find a way to create a beautiful, functional, user-first website experience that had fashionable imagery sewn in, a buttoned-up user flow, and customized elements that let users style their own dashboard.

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Phase 1: Site Audit

Step into the shoes of each role or job title that visit CottonWorks. Look at every page — the number of which approached the thread count of a luxurious set of cotton sheets. Then, separate them like apparel in a covetable, organized closet: Keep. Kill. Modify. Combine. (Spreadsheets aren’t eye catching, but we're pretty proud of this one.) Final product? Site map.  

Phase 2: Content Development

Update content like a wardrobe: Minimalistic where possible and layered or eye-catching when appropriate. We combined good information into one cohesive outfit, err, page or article, and freshened up the look with up-to-date finishing touches. (We wrote over 15 brand new pages, and refined 80 more.)  

Phase 3: Design

Here comes the beautiful part. We draped the website in gorgeous fabrics of thoughtfully curated images and elements. This elevated the look and feel of the site, and created an inviting, beautiful space so visitors would want to stay a while.

PHASE 4: CODING FOR MODERNIZATION

We developed a modern website using fresh technologies and a reliable code base that made the site perfect for today's mobile-first experiences, while meeting intricate needs for users and site offerings.

Phase 5: Optimize

Make it more functional than ever. Improve the on-site search algorithm to return accurate results. Make it easy for any team member to update or add content. Reimagine and redesign dashboard functionality for a customized experience.  Don a cotton-rich superhero cape.

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keeping the end user in mind

The north star of the project was to keep the end user in mind: what do they need from the site, how can we help them get it easily and create an enjoyable experience, and how can we position CottonWorks to be their go-to resource for all things cotton?  

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Keep calm and cotton on. 

The north star of the project was to keep the end user in mind: what do they need from the site, how can we help them get it easily and create an enjoyable experience, and how can we position CottonWorks to be their go-to resource for all things cotton?

It’s natural. It’s cotton. It’s live. 

CottonWorks now has a 100+ page site that is clean, easy to navigate, beautiful to look at and easy for their own team to engage with behind the scenes. They’ve already added new pages, without trouble, and the number of engaged sessions and time on site have increased within the first two months. Just like the fabric itself, the site is now cozy and capable — something you don’t mind hanging out in. 

79%
Video Completion Rate
9.8%
Click Through Rate
25MM
Paid Impressions
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Ready to start your project?

Like doing meaningful work with people who are fun to work with? Want to create work that drives business value? Then let’s talk.

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