Meet Anthony Abdelmalek: Product design, development, and manufacturing craftsman

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anthony Abdelmalek and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anthony, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Like many people, I found myself getting caught up in the “machine.” So, rather than having a defined business model, I decided to take a more exploratory approach to find my way back to sanity after working 70ish hours a week for 15+ yrs. I was dying to get back to that kid who used to help out friends for free because it was fun while working a full-time job. I had to get back to designing for a purpose rather than to meet a “sales goal.” Don’t get me wrong; money is an essential factor in building and maintaining a profitable business. However, we can do so without creating massive amounts of waste damaging our environment. Getting back to my “roots” has taken me down a path and led me to individuals and small businesses that have an idea that they live and die by but need help navigating the design, development, and manufacturing world. I help them make their idea a reality. I also help them think about the product lifecycle and how they can reuse, recycle, repurpose their product when its lifecycle has ended. In the end, through a series of adjustments, I found that the core of my business is to serve and help people get their idea to market.

What should our readers know about your business?
At Stitch Design, we really help take a project or product from start to finish. What that means is, if you have an idea for something, we are able to help you flush out the design, the function, the form- and then from there also help you prepare it for manufacturing and connect the dots so you can produce it. What sets us apart is going the extra mile past design, to be able to really make the idea a reality. We take you through the design process, which involved sketching, research, renderings, and function. Then we move onto 3D modeling where we are able to 3D print physical parts for you to touch and feel so you can understand if the product is on the right path, and then we move into preparing to manufacture the item and what path is best for that. My previous background has always been in product design, but over the years, I’ve worked with hundreds of vendors and suppliers to make the connections necessary to create a variety of product types- from electronics, to bags, to sports equipment and more. I also was able to live in China for 5 years and gain hands on experience with all of the top manufacturing techniques and systems. The design process is not always easy, but when you are used to problem-solving on the fly, it becomes fun and challenging to create a new product that way. It also opens the doors to even more innovation, so I welcome challenges! The reason I really wanted to start Stitch Design was because there are so many products out there that really help to solve a problem, and if I can help be an aid in that, it’s very fulfilling. I also love entrepreneurs and innovative ideas, and to be part of something new, unique, and on the forefront, is always exciting to me.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
LA is full of some of my favorite foodie spots- so if my best friend was visiting I would probably take them to one of my old neighborhoods, Sawtelle/Little Japantown for some ramen at Killer Noodle. It’s the best! Since I live and love the west side, we would definitely check out a few surf spots and spend some time in the water, and head up into the canyons for some hikes as well. Current favorite hike is the Backbone Trail in Topanga Canyon- the views are insane! Times are a little different with Covid, but another few favorite LA spots I like to go are Sunnin Lebanese restaurant in Westwood, Din Tai Fung or Hai Di Lao in Century City Mall, or Gilbert’s Mexican restaurant on Pico! Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My wife is also a designer & my partner in Stitch Design. She always gives me honest input- she’s my rock.

Website: http://www.stitch-design.com/

Instagram: @stitch_design

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-abdelmalek-9842207

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stitchdesignstudio/