Brazilian Brothers x Ralf Groesel Interview: Part 1

The Brazilian Brothers were able to meet with Ralf Groesel, the founder of Brainchild Production. This is the first section of a multi-part series of interviews where we dive into the vision and innovation behind one of the most influential figures in modern kite design.

What was the motivation behind Brainchild?

Ralf Groesel left behind a long legacy with a stable and notorious brand to start Brainchild. His personal dream was always to be in the position to make his own decisions. Since he started working in the kiteboarding industry, he felt the need to get the puzzle together—connecting all the little bits and pieces and making those connections himself.

That was the main motivation to start this ambitious approach: to create the ultimate production facility with all its abilities and possibilities. Leaving that legacy behind allowed him to build something from the ground up that could handle the entire process of kite creation.

How do you approach designing for brands?

Ralf is currently working with three individual brands — F-One, Reedin, and Harlem — each with their own needs and visions. When it comes to kite design, the process is a compromise. These brands ask Ralf to help design their kites because they want something from his design philosophy, which has proven to be successful.

However, it is crucial to understand the DNA of each particular brand. Reedin has a different philosophy than Harlem, and Harlem has a different philosophy than F-One. By working with all three, Ralf has been able to create very unique products that fit the specific demands of each brand. If you have tested these kites, you know they are not the same at all.

This has been the biggest challenge of Ralf's life, besides running a production facility from scratch. It has forced him to work with different material combinations, different line configurations like Low V and High V, and various design philosophies. This constant influence from different directions has ultimately made him a better designer.

What is the surprise factor of Brainchild?

The Brainchild factory is located in North Macedonia and features several innovations, including PRO WELD technology and digital printing. For an average kiter visiting the factory for the first time, the biggest surprise would be the level of complexity involved in production.

It is very difficult for people to capture how many stages the material must go through. It starts as totally white fabric, moves into digital printing to become colorful, is cut into pieces, and is then assembled into a final product. Brainchild is even producing many of its own materials now.

While the manufacturing site is now kept secret to protect their processes, they still allow people to visit the laboratory side of the facility. The complexity of taking raw materials and turning them into high-performance kites is something that most people only truly appreciate once they see it behind the curtain.

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