FRΛGMENT TKL - Artisan Resin Accents, 11,000 Configurations

The current US tariff environment is highly changeable and remains difficult to predict. As of 15 November 2025, our understanding is as follows:

• UK-origin goods imported into the USA are generally subject to a 10% tariff.
• China-origin goods typically incur a 20% base tariff, with the possibility of additional product-specific tariffs.
•The de minimis exemption (previously allowing goods valued under $800 to enter duty-free) was removed on 29 August 2025, meaning all shipments may now incur duties regardless of value.

FRΛGMENT components are manufactured in both the UK and China. All resin parts are cast in the United Kingdom and the wooden components undergo their final machining and finishing processes here as well. Final assembly and fulfilment are also completed in the UK, resulting in a substantial transformation that is critical in determining the product’s country of origin. Therefore, many configurations - those including wood and/or resin components - are expected to meet the criteria for UK-origin, which should qualify them for the lower 10% tariff rate.

However, if extra parts (e.g., additional PCBs, plates, O-rings, resin/wood accent sets or keycaps) are purchased and shipped separately from the main keyboard, these items are more likely to classify as China-origin keyboard parts, and may therefore attract higher tariff rates.

It is essential to understand that the tariff situation remains fluid and uncertain. Our DHL representative has advised that even they are unable to provide definitive guidance beyond the use of their online tools, which currently estimate a tariff rate of around 35% for China-origin keyboards, significantly higher than the published base rate. This demonstrates how unclear current enforcement may be.

Given this, US customers are strongly encouraged to review the details before placing an order, as different configurations may result in different countries of origin depending on material selections and included parts. This will directly affect which tariff rate may apply upon import.

For full details and ongoing updates, please visit the USA Tariff Information page:

Prototype v0.2.3 is near-final, with only minor refinements remaining. The case colours Moss and Dune are confirmed. The resin pattern and design are final, though colour matching and variation control are still being improved.

This version tested a high-gloss resin-coated finish for the wooden components, but due to the difficulty and high failure rate of the process, production units will instead feature a matte wood finish. The internal mounting system is also being slightly revised, along with small changes to reduce manufacturing costs. The brass finish will be updated as the current clear coat wears too quickly.

Prototype v0.1.5 serves as a proof of concept for FRΛGMENT. The top case features the final Frost colourway, while the bottom case uses an early Slate variant that won’t be offered. The resin accents were made using an older casting method, which has since been refined for improved depth and consistency in production. The resin in this unit also doesn’t perfectly match the case colour—this will be adjusted in future versions.

This prototype helped identify and resolve several issues, including case bowing, PCB alignment, and sound inconsistency from the backplate design. Further details and ongoing updates are available on the website.

FRΛGMENT offers over 11,000 possible configurations, however the majority of this variation comes from the artisan resin accent options rather than the core case design. When looking only at the case itself, the number of combinations is far more manageable:

• Case material options: 5
• Case colour options: 5
• Layout options (WKL / WK): 2
• Accent material options: 3
• Wood Finishes: 2

This results in:
5 × 5 × 2 × 3 × 2 = 300 case configurations

If wood finishes are excluded, which are applied by us in the UK, this total reduces by half, leaving approximately 150 core case configurations. This is one of the reasons the fulfilment process is not as daunting as the full configuration count might suggest, since the case is the key factor in terms of lead time and manufacturing complexity.

The artisan resin components are handmade in the United Kingdom. After producing hundreds of samples, the process is now consistent and repeatable. The process to produce the various resin badges/backplate vary only in the mould used and a small number of post-processing and bonding steps. From a fulfilment perspective, the resin options simply mean a slightly longer and more detailed packing and QC list rather than a fundamentally more difficult production task.

It is completely reasonable for people to be cautious about a project with this level of customisation. Many group buys with far fewer options have failed in the past, and we understand why potential buyers may have concerns. To address this, the overall production approach has been structured to reduce risk wherever possible:

• Production is split across several factories to spread risk rather than relying on a single supplier.
• A number of parts are made or finished in the UK, which reduces freight and scheduling uncertainty.
• I will be visiting the factories in person throughout production to approve parts before final payment.
• Payments to manufacturers go through an escrow service, so funds are protected until parts are inspected and approved.
• If a small component has an issue, remaking that part is a contained cost, rather than a full production restart.

These measures cannot remove all risk - no group buy can promise that - but they are intended to keep the process transparent and manageable. If issues do arise, we will fund whatever is required to put them right. A similar approach was used for the Quantum60 project, which we funded and delivered in-stock so it could move forward. It was originally planned as a group buy, but due to understandable hesitation around our lack of prior track record, we chose to fund production ourselves and release it in-stock instead.

Group buys always involve a degree of trust, since the product does not exist until after payment is made, and it is entirely up to each person to decide whether they are comfortable with that. All we can do is be as open as possible about the process and the steps in place to protect customer orders.