Everyday Objects
·
2024
Tide
A bottle proportioned for a smaller hand.
Materials
Stainless steel · Ash · Soft‑touch coating
Role
Research, industrial design, CAD, prototyping
01
The problem, the user and what I learned
Insulated bottles have converged on a 73 mm diameter that suits a large hand and a car cup holder. For many users the grip is awkward and the bottle is heavy when full.
Measurements of forty hands and a review of commuter habits set the targets: 500 ml, under 66 mm diameter, one‑hand opening and a cap that does not rattle.
02
On site Approval
Sketches explored a tapered body, a waisted grip and a straight cylinder with a shoulder. The shoulder form kept volume while narrowing the grip.
Twelve foam models at one‑millimetre increments were handed to users blind. The 64 mm body with a 48 mm neck was picked by most without prompting.
04
Issue at site
Double‑wall 304 stainless steel, vacuum insulated, with a soft‑touch coating. The ash cap is turned and sealed, with a food‑grade silicone gasket in a stainless insert.
Thread pitch was chosen for a three‑quarter turn opening. The cap and gasket are the only parts intended to be replaced over the bottle’s life.
05
Carried every day
06
Where the project stands
Three machined prototypes were produced in Shenzhen and reviewed on site, including finish approval for the coating and ash cap.
A costed BOM puts the bottle at a 34 euro retail target at 5,000 units.