Voor-ieder-een
I designed together with Furkan Çakir , Denisa Voláková and Stefanie Essaadi het 'kleed-voor-ieder-één'. This was a schoolproject for HEMA and we had to participate in the 'HEMA Design challenge 2021' We had to come up with something to celebrate in the future and we ended in the HEMA top 10 and almost won. When we started this project, we reflected on what the future of celebrating meant to us. In the time of the corona pandemic, the future wasn’t all too bright. We found ourselves enjoying and looking forward to smaller celebrations, even something as simple as a picnic. So, we started reflecting on our own picnic experiences and noticed that the idea of having everyone sit on one sheet of fabric in a giant park seemed absurd. That is why we designed a 7 piece blanket that can be pulled apart and reshaped to fit every situation. No more awkward seating, backs facing each other, or wasted space. Target market This product is targeted toward anyone who enjoys spending time outdoors. Depending on group size, more pieces can be bought with the additional product, “het kleed voor ieder nog een”. Alternatively, if two people own the blanket, all pieces can be connected as well. Materials The blanket is made up of 3 layers. The top and bottom layers are cotton while the middle layer is made of polyester for water resistance; no moisture soaks through the blanket. Then, the blanket is complete with strips of velcro on each corner to ensure a strong two point connection between all hexagons so that every piece can connect to every piece. After extensive testing on types of connections, velcro was the best choice due to its strength and ease of use. The colours chosen for this blanket are cheerful and bold shades of yellow, orange and blue. They are also gender-neutral so that all people can feel connected to the blanket. Packaging As for packaging of this product, we designed a simple system that functions as an adaptable carrying strap for the blanket. It is a loop of fabric that can be wrapped around the blanket and will always fit around it, regardless of the amount of pieces. The packaging also includes a sticker that can be peeled off after the product is purchased. This will prevent excessive waste from packaging. The sticker includes a product description as well as some example shapes to show how this blanket could be used. The sticker also has cut-outs that reveal the colour of the blanket underneath. Production As for production, we produced this blanket using industrial sewing machines. The process was relatively straightforward. Given the opportunity to do this again, we would use the same production method. Additionally, Hema’s sewing and textile facilities are located in China so we think it would be optimal to distribute the labour there. Costs Our total cost of the blanket is 77,21 euros including tax and wages, but we think this will change as your price may differ in terms of material and labour cost. The regular blankets at Hema cost around 35 euros so we suggest that this blanket should be produced and sold for 40 euros, with additional pieces sold for 6,50 euros. Final statement When testing our prototype in the park, we received a lot of positive feedback. People seemed as enthusiastic about the product as we were. they were able to easily take apart and reconfigure the blanket to their own needs and situations. This blanket is adaptable to every group of people and solves the problems of the traditional picnic blanket. Its playful colours and shapes encourage creativity and makes sure that this blanket is truly, voor ‘ieder een’.