Ted Burdett

Ted Burdett is an experienced industrial designer and design educator whose passion lies at the intersection of design, sustainability, and entrepreneurship. Upon graduating from UIC in 2004, Ted began a career in the soft-goods industry designing coolers and camping equipment for California Innovations. Within three years, he had designed dozens of products, been instrumental in designing CI’s product testing facilities, and been promoted to Senior Designer.

In 2008, Ted returned to UIC to teach full-time; that same year, he and his wife Sharon officially started Strand Design. Beginning with Tree Theory bags—designed to assemble without stitching and to be infinitely renewable—the studio soon expanded into custom furniture design, production, and wholesaling. To date, Strand has exhibited in the prestigious New York Gift Show, been picked up by major national and international retailers including CB2 and Urban Outfitters, and was featured in the 2012 film Divergent. Today, Strand has shifted its industry focus and is currently growing Fourneau, a start-up brand that marries design with high-end culinary products.