Curby Clip

 

Services

• Industrial Design: Product Concept Sketches, 3D Modeling & Rendering, Package Construction, Mockups & Prototypes

• Product Development: Product Testing, Sourcing & Development

• Graphic Design: Package Graphics, Website

• Content Creation: Copywriting, Product Photography

• Manufacturing: Competitive Factory Quotes, Production Management, Safety Testing

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The Challenge

It all began at a community event. A Creative Fold team member got talking with a friend. When mentioning that they work in product development, the friend said, “I’ve always had this idea!” They described their dream of making a specialized clip for collecting dog waste separately in garbage bins. 

 

We started the project knowing we’d need to focus on adaptability, functionality, and aesthetic design of the clip in addition to full-scale production and manufacturing oversight.

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• The product needed to work with a wide array of existing trash bin styles on the market, accounting for variances in material type, shape, size, and lid styles 

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• The clip had to handle the weight of a bag holding a week’s worth of dog waste while also being flat enough to allow the garbage can lid to close   

 

• We wanted the final design to evoke a whimsical but practical feeling and appeal to dog owners with clear messaging and immediate recognition of need

 

Our team moved forward with preliminary designs and sketches after determining that no clip like this existed on the market. We 3D-printed multiple product versions, then facilitated a round of product testing to gauge users’ interest level and their impressions of the functionality. Respondents answered questions like Would you use this? and How well did it work?

 

Throughout testing and product evaluations, it was clear that a one-size-fits-all solution would be ideal, but an open challenge remained about what materials and design could work for all cans.

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The Solution

After testing a few iterations and nothing emerging as a homerun, our team had an epiphany…MAGNETS! Using two magnetic ends that clip together around the trash bin allows for a one-size-fits-all product with maximum adaptability. The thin strip lets the lid close easily and the dog styling adds a cute touch to resonate emotionally with dog owners. 

 

After testing a 3D-printed version of the clip for a number of months, the client made the final decision to move forward with production. The testing phase had assured her of the design’s functionality and she placed her trust in our ability to see the clip along to completion. Using industry contacts, we identified a factory which has extensive experience with magnetic products. We collaborated extensively with the factory to arrive at ideal magnets. The attraction force needed to be strong, without the clip snapping together violently in users' hands. Aesthetics, magnet strength, and durability had to be in perfect balance before making molds and moving into production.

 

In addition to the core challenge of developing the product itself, our team also worked on:

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• Packaging design: We designed a packaging card with wrap-around bands to balance the following factors that were important to the client:

  • Packaging cost

  • Clear display of the product

  • Inclusion of a product “try-me” feature

  • Enough packaging real-estate for communicating the product use

  • Light tamper-resistance

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• Package graphics: Attractively presenting the product itself was paramount when designing the package graphics. We other goals included:

  • Creating an aesthetic that resonates with dog owners

  • Organizing information to best utilize the package’s compact panels

  • Clearly and concisely communicating the product use to new buyers

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• Product Marketing: Creative Fold designed the Curby Clip website, and shot the studio product images for marketing and promotion of Curby Clip.

 

We loved steering this idea from infancy to fruition. The client’s ongoing involvement created a collaborative process with a fantastic outcome. This project fell into the sweet spot where we could contribute our expertise in nearly every category: industrial design, graphic design, packaging, manufacturing, web design, photography, and more.

The Curby Clip is available directly through the client’s website. Say goodbye to smushed poop bags!