Thanks to WittPrint 3D, showing your pride for the Great Lake State has reached new technological heights. Their Michigan phone cases—featuring silhouettes of the state’s iconic geography—are the perfect way to broadcast your love for Michigan and protect your iPhone at the same time.
Ben Wittbrodt’s passion for 3D printing was sparked while studying at Michigan Tech in Houghton, Michigan—one of the Upper Peninsula’s technology and education hub. The Traverse City native was introduced to the new technology—where thin filaments of molten plastic are extruded through a nozzle and deposited in layers to form three-dimensional shapes—while doing masters research, yet his interest branched into business when the first phone case he made for a research project became the envy of his friends.
For Michigan-inspired Stickers, Check Out Great Lakes Proud
“Once I posted the picture to Facebook, people kept asking me where I got it, or where they could get one, or if I was selling them. So I decided to give a couple of them out to people, and the demand started to grow,” says Wittbrodt.
That very first case featured an inset of the Upper Peninsula—a nod to Wittbrodt’s adopted home—but his other cases are decorated with cutouts of the entire Great Lakes system and both the Lower and Upper Peninsulas.
In September of 2013, Wittbrodt turned his studies into a full-time pursuit by developing a website for his business, WittPrint 3D, and fine-tuning his first designs to make them sleeker and more comfortable to hold. To all those who prefer Android phones over iPhones, Wittbrodt can only offer something of an apology: “Currently I offer iPhone 4/4S and iPhone 5/5S cases, and am actively working to design a case for the 5C. There aren’t any plans to broaden into Android phones at the moment due to lack of time, but this upcoming summer might open up the possibility.” Wittbrodt is still studying at Tech, and plans on graduating in December of 2014.
WittPrint 3D is based in Houghton, and is a featured retailer at ShopMyNorth.com.
ShopMyNorth is an online marketplace that supports and promotes Northern Michigan businesses and craftsmen. If you’re a merchant interested in placing your company’s products on ShopMyNorth, please contact Drew Warner (231)-941-3102.