INSULATED FREEZABLE LUNCH BAG

RUBBERMAID FREEZEABLE LUNCH BAG

Market insights revealed that maintaining packed lunches cold is crucial for people, especially parents packing lunches for their kids. Rubbermaid aimed to create a complementary bag that could keep Rubbermaid food containers cold until lunch, ensuring food stays fresh and safe.

The project involved a ground-up design process, including competitive, market, and consumer research to guide the project's direction. Extensive usability design determined the ideal volume needed to hold lunches, containers, and beverages. Prototypes were developed to test integrated gel packs, focusing on thawing duration to ensure the foldable freezer lunch bag performed as intended. An essential part of the project was the selection of colors, materials, and finishes, with deep graphic treatments to create a bag that stood out in a crowded field. This attention to detail resulted in an attractive and eye-catching product. Techpacks were then developed for factory sample development and production.

DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

MARKET/CONSUMER RESEARH :: DESIGN :: SOFTGOODS DEVELOPMENT :: PROTOTYPE

consumer insights research

As part of the research phase, observational studies were conducted in people’s homes and office lunchrooms. This provided valuable insights into how users pack their lunches, the types of containers they use, and the challenges they face in keeping their food cold. These studies were crucial in shaping the design and functionality of the Freezeable Lunch Bag, ensuring it met the real-world needs of its users.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

A wide array of forms were explored during the concept phase. Human usability insights were applied to identify the best approaches to form and function. Refined concepts were developed to clearly communicate which ideas should move forward. This iterative process ensured that the final design would be both practical and user-friendly, aligning with the project’s goals of maintaining cold temperatures and providing an attractive, eye-catching product.

mock-up and prototype development

concept refinement

FACTORY SAMPLE DEVELOPMENT

As part of the development process, Techpacks were created to initiate the factory sample phase. Collaborating with the factory during this phase was crucial for executing the design accurately. A critical part of this phase involved incorporating the gel packs into the body of the lunch bag, allowing for thorough cold duration testing. Additionally, the samples enabled volume testing to ensure that the inner space could adequately hold various food containers, foods, beverage bottles, and other items consumers use for their lunches. This process was vital to guarantee the final product met all functional and usability requirements.

TREND RESEARCH

Strategies to break down trends were applied to help define the look and feel of the product. This research incorporated color predictions and trend models that identified key personas, enabling the design to cater specifically to target customers. Trends were explored for both adults and children, ensuring the final product appealed to a wide audience with varying needs and preferences.