[4] Hinrichs' past and present clients include the California Academy of Sciences,[5] Design Within Reach,[6] Crocker Bank, Transamerica,[2] Potlatch Corporation, American President Lines, The Nature Company, Consolidated Freightways, Royal Viking Lines, Clarks of England, Art Center College of Design, Red Herring (magazine), Aspen Skiing Company,[7] Sony Metreon Entertainment Complex, United Airlines' Hemispheres Magazine,[8] Simpson Paper,[9] Sappi Fine Paper, Muzak, Gymboree, University of Southern California, Safeco, Museum of Glass, Symantec, KQED, the San Francisco Zoo, Restoration Hardware,[10] Columbus Salame,[11] and many more.
[12] Hinrichs is the co-author of seven books: Vegetables,[13] Stars & Stripes: Ninety-six Top Designers and Graphic Artists Offer Their Personal Interpretations of Old Glory,[14] TypeWise,[15] Long May She Wave: A Graphic History of the American Flag,[16] The Pentagram Papers: A Collection of Thirty-six Papers,[17] 100 American Flags: A Unique Collection of Old Glory Memorabilia,[18] and 100 Baseball Icons: From the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Archive.
[20] Philip B. Meggs and Alston W. Purvis describe Hinrichs as a "visual storyteller" whose "designs are distinguished by a keen understanding of the narrative and abundant interpretations on a theme.
"[7] In or about 1986, Kit Hinrichs and writer Delphine Hirasuna conceived of a magazine to bridge "designers and corporate clients, addressing the ever-present perception that neither party clearly understands what each other contributes to their intended collaboration.
[21] @Issue is focused on the "effective use of design in business,"[22] and includes case studies, interviews, and articles about client-designer collaborations.
[10] Hinrichs is an AIGA fellow, a member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale, and a trustee of Art Center College of Design.
[3] He is a former executive board member of the AIGA, and served on the Accessions Design and Architecture committee at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.