OVERVIEW
Designing a travel-friendly vessel to protect Winden solid hair care products while bringing beauty and elegance into every shower.
YEAR
DURATION
COMPANY
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COLLABORATOR
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TOOLS USED
2022
3 months
Solidworks • Autodesk Fusion 360 • 3D Printer
WHO IS WINDEN?
Winden is a highly curated home goods, personal care, accessories, and jewelry brand who believes that beautiful design can and should be functional. Their mission is to "design with our future in mind," which includes "continuously looking for more environmentally conscious solutions, questioning our materials and manufacturing methods, ensuring our packaging and products are made in countries with high labor standards or by people being paid a living wage, and creating opportunities for vulnerable communities."
BECCA MAPES: MULTIDISCIPLINARY ARTIST AND FOUNDER OF WINDEN
WINDEN SIGNATURE SOLID SHAMPOO
TAKING ON THE PROJECT
Upon hire, I met directly with the founder of Winden who briefed me on the project: designing a vessel to hold and protect their newly developed Signature Solid Shampoo. Unlike my past experiences, I would be taking this project on from the midway point. The company was having issues manufacturing their current design and was looking for a drastic pivot.
To design an elegant and environmentally conscious vessel for users to contain, protect, and travel with Winden Signature Solid Shampoo.
DESIGN BRIEF
MARKET SURVEY AND COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
For my first step I conducted a wide market survey on over 50 varieties of existing solid soap containers in order to visualize current market trends, gaps, and opportunities. My key insights: most existing designs are made from one material, travel friendly, and consist of two to three components.
ANALYZED 50 EXISTING SOLID SOAP HOLDERS NOTING MATERIAL, PRICE, SIZE, STYLE, AND DESIGN FEATURES.
IDEATING THE LOOK AND FEEL
The client provided me with a moodboard for the project. Taking visual inspiration from the moodboard and using the market survey findings as a guideline, I sketched out a variety of form ideations. Through several rounds of iteration we got closer and closer to the client’s desired visual feel for the product.
DRAWING INSPIRATION FROM CLIENT’S MOODBOARD AND ITERATING ON SHAPE AND PROPORTION OF ROUND, BUBBLY FORMS
CLIENT CHOSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS TWO- PIECE DESIGN CONCEPT BUT WITH ALTERED PROPORTIONS
DIGITAL SKETCHING HELPED VISUALIZE SHAPE, PROPORTION, AND ASSEMBLY OF COMPONENTS.
LOW FIDELITY FIRST PRINT USED FOR TESTING AND INFORMING DESIGN REFINEMENTS
REFINING THE FORM AND FUNCTION
With 2D sketching I was able to visualize general form and proportion. CAD modelling then enabled me to work out details like drainage holes and threads. Finally, a rough 3D printed prototype prompted adjustments to the sharpness of the edges and shape of the threads. I also discovered that the case could entirely be downsized to both save material and hold the product more snugly.
RAPID IDEATION OF 30+ DRAINAGE TRAY ITERATIONS
DESIGNING FOR MANUFACTURE
We decided to work with a 3D printing manufacturer in Amsterdam called Batch Works because of their method of using purely recycled plastic filament. We quickly learned, however, that due to their specific method of 3D printing, some adjustments needed to be made to the design, specifically the stilts on the bottom dish. After many sketch iterations and a few unsatisfactory prototypes, the client, the manufacturer, and I were able to find a solution that fit the elegant aesthetic of the brand while maintaining manufacturability and function.
WORKED WITH THE MANUFACTURER TO TEST PRINT AND ITERATE ON FORM
SMALL BATCH 3D PRINTED IN AMSTERDAM WITH FILAMENT MADE FROM RECYCLED FOOD PACKAGING.
INTERCHANGEABLE TRAVEL AND AT HOME DISH
LID TWISTS INTO SECURE TRAVEL DISH OR SIMPLY RESTS ON AT HOME DISH
FINAL PRODUCT AND PROJECT LAUNCH
The Clean Case was launched on the Winden online shop in January of 2023. This is my first project to reach the hands of real people. Seeing what started as a messy sketch make it into the hands of real consumers is truly amazing. I experienced the entire design process with a real world client and manufacturer to learn what it takes to bring a design from concept to launch.