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Discover the driving force behind our first product, learn about our journey, and get a glimpse into our plans for the future. We are a growing brand dedicated to improving waste habits by creating durable and sustainable trash tools. We believe our actions will mitigate litter, elevate the quality of inbound recyclables, and provide alternatives to single-use/disposable goods.

– Justin (left) and Quinten (right) Blazer

In the Beginning

We were inspired to create Blazer Brand by our late father, Kenneth Blazer.

See—Ken was a coach, a believer, a storyteller, and an awesome caregiver. He had a huge heart and the strongest will around.

In 2013, when he passed away unexpectedly, his absence hit us harder than we could have ever anticipated. Our dad had made life so rewarding, and he managed to provide an unmatched sense of security. What were we to do without him?

We got around to thinking… Our dad always dreamed of creating a lock to stop raccoons… Could we invent that dream lock? Could we grow something meaningful from our loss?

Justin and Quinten's father, Kenneth A. Blazer of Pittsburgh, PA

Project #1 | Complete the Dream

In 2015, we set out to bring our father’s imagination to life. As far back as we could remember, our dad had gone on about the damn raccoons in the trash. He thought people would love a reliable solution.

Our goal was to create the first Dad-Certified lock. From day one, we committed ourselves to seeing this vision through completion. We prototyped our invention, envisioned a STRONG brand, and dreamed of a cleaner future for trash cans.

Our path had its fair share of speed bumps. We devoted 10+ months to overcoming plastic engineering and cost barriers. We communicated with the United States Patent Office for years to justify and classify the novelty of our invention. We rustled with corporations who swiftly advised us “you do not belong.” For a while, we took rejection to heart. Over time, we found ways to learn from our shortcomings and setbacks, then adapt and move forward.

From 2015–2018, we remained focused and driven. We knew what we wanted and why creating the ultimate garbage can lock would be a valuable contribution to a clean, green society. After years of crawling to make our father’s dream a reality—the Strong Strap™ was introduced to the world in 2019.

Strong Strap™| First of Many

In March of 2019, we were granted a U.S. Patent for a “Latch and Method of Use” better known as the Strong Strap™. Our invention is a novel embodiment of our father’s idea. We made our lid latch available for purchase nationwide through blazerbrand.com and amazon.com. We’re fortunate to have thousands of customers who purchased a Strong Strap for their garbage can(s) in 2019. These customers consist of homeowners, restaurants, small businesses, compost collectors, and facility managers.

Throughout the process of inventing the Strong Strap, we were exposed to the potential of our solution to solve a wide range of waste storage related problems. Simply put, there are more problems than just pests, and there are more pests than just raccoons. The Strong Strap acts as a universal standard, the go-to lid lock for any and all trash containment problems.

Trash Problems

  • Critters such as raccoons, birds, and rats rip through trash making a mess. Once they’re done, the flies take over. A Strong Strap™ secures the lid and blocks pest activity.
  • Overflow is ugly and out of control. Litter leaks from overfilled bins. Paper gets soaked when lids aren’t closed. A Strong Strap™ can be used to crank a can shut when there is seemingly too much trash.
  • Wind knocks over cans and spreads litter. Unbagged, lightweight recyclables are particularly prone to flight. A Strong Strap™ will not allow a lid to be opened by wind, period.
  • Litter is the end result of the three aforementioned problems. When a can isn’t containing the waste placed inside of it, then we all have a problem. A Strong Strap™ guarantees everything placed in the can, remains in the can.

The purpose of our first product is clear. Cleaner cans lead to cleaner curbs; cleaner curbs lead to cleaner communities. We’re promoting the evolution of trash cans via the proliferation of the Strong Strap™.

Our Future | Clean, Green, Secure

With 2020 underway, Blazer Brand is dedicated to replicating our model for designing durable and useful products with environmental benefits. Our vision is to make eco-friendly habits more convenient than the status quo. We firmly believe durable goods provide a common-sense path to enhanced sustainability.

Our Values

  • Clean means developing ways to eliminate dirty, disgusting trash areas. We plan to provide our customers with tools and services for sparkling clean bins and waste storage areas.
  • Green means cutting back on waste and increasing the quality of recyclable materials placed at the curb. Expect us to replace all of those disposable, single-use items in your home with durable, convenient, and common-sense goods.
  • Secure means making sure every piece of waste placed in a can arrives at its final destination. We’ve started with waste carts and the Strong Strap™, but we hope to expand to our solutions to collection trucks as well.

Thank you for taking the time to read about how we started Blazer Brand. If you get the chance, please share our story with your family and friends. Every day we are going to continue to chip away at our goals as we build a clean, green, and secure future for waste. We’re proud of where we are and excited to see where we will go.

Stay Strong,

Blazer Brand

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