Case Study
Craite Records
A black metal-inspired vinyl brand for Whatnot, Instagram, and the collectors already gathering around it.
Client
Craite Records
Year
2026
Scope
Brand Identity, Logo System, Marketplace Design, Merchandise, Print Collateral
Overview
Built for the marketplace.
Craite Records is a newly launched vinyl brand selling exclusively through Whatnot and Instagram, where a fast-growing community has already started to take shape. The goal was clear: stand out in an oversaturated reseller marketplace by embracing a unique black metal aesthetic.
As a lifelong metalhead, this was a dream brief. I built a visual world rooted in the language of black metal and adjacent punk culture: raw textures, blackletter, stark contrast, and a sense of controlled chaos.
Identity
A mark with teeth.
Whatnot
A storefront for live crate digging.
Craite's main digital touchpoints are Whatnot and Instagram, so the system had to work inside fast-moving feeds, live drops, tiny avatars, and listing grids without losing its darker edge.
whatnot.com / craite-records
Live seller
Craite Records
Vinyl Punk Metal Oddities Patches
C
12 bids Death Rock 7" Lot
Current bid
$42
C
Sleeve VG+ Japanese Pressing
Current bid
$68
C
Live now Noise Cassette Pair
Current bid
$18
C
Ending soon Punk Singles Stack
Current bid
$55
C
Buy now Patch + Sticker Pack
Current bid
$12
C
Next drop Mystery Crate Pull
Current bid
$25
Applications
Flexible enough for every touchpoint.
The circular lockups give the system a compact stamp that can move between packaging, social, stickers, and seller materials. On the business cards, QR codes and subtle metal-inspired illustrations fit right in with the rest of the brand (including some occult runes).
Merch
The shirt art gets loud.
The illustration pushes the controlled chaos further: raw, full of cats and radiating solar vinyl god-like figure, held in a nice circular lockup any vinyl owner would want to drop some cash to have.
Result
The result is a brand that feels dark and grungy while also intentional and legible enough to function across social platforms. In a category full of friendly, neutral, indie-record branding, Craite Records leans fully into subculture. It's abrasive in the right ways, unique to its audience, and gives the brand instant identity as it grows its following and presence in the vinyl marketplace.
