Toddle - Backpack Concept Design

Toddle – Backpack Concept Design

The Client

Toddle – Born Wild was founded by military veteran and mother Hannah Saunders in 2017. Since then, Toddle have developed an award-winning range of 100% vegan skincare products for children. Sparked by Hannah’s military background and love of exploring, Toddle’s mission is to make outdoor adventures safe for every little one. To diversify their brand, the client wanted to explore the concept of introducing a signature Toddle backpack to their range. For this new venture, Toddle secured three days of fully funded consultancy through the SMART Innovation programme.

Design Challenge

The vital challenge was to translate Toddle’s vibrant brand from skincare to a physical textile product. To navigate this material shift, a close attention to Toddle’s brand story was required in every detail of the design. To appeal to Toddle’s target market, a neutral aesthetic was favoured to create a design with both parents in mind. The client also wanted to retain a traditional backpack shape whilst incorporating smaller removable compartments or “adventure pods” (which could store milk or clothing, for example) within a well-optimised internal space.

“ITERATE took my vague ideas and turned them into something beautiful. They considered the design, functionality, but more importantly, the market and commercial considerations. I highly recommend them!” – Hannah Saunders, Founder of Toddle – Born Wild

Our Solution

Utilising in-house digital sketching talent, ITERATE produced four concept designs. Each design included a wide opening and large pully zipper for ease of use on the go. Beyond this, an emphasis was placed on modularity in the designs: flexible configurations of “adventure pods” allowed the product to be customised for every adventure based on the individual parents’ needs. The different designs visualised various facets of Toddle’s brand, from military-inspired molle straps to a fastening for Toddle’s Toggle to attach their existing skincare balms to the backpack. The sketches also featured recycled polyester to uphold Toddle’s sustainable business approach within the very fabric of the design.

Final Outcome

SMART Innovation funding fully de-risked this project. As a result, the client was able to creatively engage with the process of designing a new product. Within three days ITERATE captured the spirit of Toddle’s brand in multiple concept designs which helped the client more realistically see how their signature backpack could take shape in the market. This provided an invaluable opportunity for the client to evaluate a potential avenue for company growth in a low risk context. The project also gave ITERATE the chance to apply design thinking to a well-established brand whilst, unusually, working on a fabric-based product.