Press Release
Walk Me Dog Leash by Hi Jac Receives the Bronze A' Design Award in Sustainable Products, Projects and Green Design
The international grand jury of the 2022 - 2023 A' Design Award & Competition recognizes Hi Jac for sustainable products, projects and green design
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 20, 2023 /DesignNewswire/ Walk Me Dog Leash by Hi Jac has been granted the Bronze A' Design Award in the Sustainable Products, Projects and Green Design category, A' Design Award & Competition has announced. The recognition forms part of the 2022 - 2023 A' Design Award & Competition and was determined through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who evaluated anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
What the Bronze A' Design Award Means
The Bronze A' Design Award is given to outstanding designs that showcase a high degree of creativity and practicality. It recognizes the dedication and skill of designers who produce work that stands out for its thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. These designs are acknowledged for their professional execution and potential to influence industry standards positively. Winning this award highlights the designer's ability to blend form and function effectively, offering solutions that enhance people's lives and wellbeing.
About Walk Me Dog Leash
The handle is smooth yet rigid; its contours create an ergonomic, snug grip for the human hand but can also comfortably wrap around a human's wrist or arm. As the handle is rigid, it will not contract, so any tension from a dog pulling will not squish the human's hand (which is a design flaw in the conventional loop handle dog leashes). The distinctive handle pattern (splats, splotches and swirls of colour) are individual to each handle as they form uniquely from the hands-on moulding and baking process. The handle and rope are made from 100 percent post-consumer plastic.
About Hi Jac
HI JAC® is a female-founded and owned pet accessories retailer. We design and manufacture sustainable pet accessories by partnering with eco-centric businesses. We focus on redesigning conventional pet accessories from the linear waste model to follow circularity principles and use sustainable materials. Our signature dog leash handle's distinctive patterns form from baking recycled plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles. Our mantra is Play nice with the Planet®, which reflects our emphasis on pets and the Planet.
Award Record
This recognition makes Hi Jac a winner of 1 A' Design Award.
About the A' Sustainable Products, Projects and Green Design Award
The A' Sustainable Product Design Award is an international design competition recognizing good sustainable products by leading designers and brands worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to sustainable product designers, green product manufacturers, eco-friendly product brands and industrial designers from all countries. Entries typically include sustainable projects, environment friendly designs, recycled, upcycled and bio-degradable products. Awarded sustainable product designs are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/sustainable-product
About A' Design Award & Competition
A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/142064
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/142064
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!142064
- Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/333467
- Further Information from the Laureate: https://hijac.com.au
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Walk Me Dog Leash
- Function
- Dog Leash
- Category
- Sustainable Products, Projects and Green Design
- Discipline
- Industrial Design
- Industry
- Sustainability
- Colors
- Black, Light Gray, Silver, Gray and Dark Gray
- Images
- 5
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Hi Jac
- Country
- Australia
- Recognition
- Bronze A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2022 - 2023
- Design ID
- #142064
Credits
- Team
- Designed by People & Things (product design) in Sydney, Australia
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Ergonomic design - the handle is smooth but rigid; its contours create a snug grip for the human hand but can also wrap comfortably around a human's wrist. The handle's rigidity absorbs any tension from a dog pulling, preventing the human's hand from squishing (a design flaw in the conventional loop handle dog leash). Distinctive handle pattern - the splats, splotches and swirls of colour are individual to each handle as they form uniquely during the moulding and baking process. Sustainability: The handle is made from 100% post-consumer plastic (shampoo & conditioner bottles). The rope is made from 100% R-pet.
- Inspiration
- The handle design was inspired by the limited sustainable dog leashes available on the market and the design limitations of the conventional dog leash - most have a flexible loop for the human hand to hold, and the human's hand gets squished when a dog pulls on the leash. The design was based on a knuckle duster as they contour to suit a human hand's comfortable but sturdy grip; then, we investigated plastic production methods and applied circular economy principles to complete the design.
- Research
- Analyse existing dog leads on the market against ergonomics, aesthetics, practicality, sustainability and materiality criteria. Test samples, interview dog owners on samples and our prototype. 3d print handle and iterate to better its form and function. Test materials for leash rope and its connection to the handle/carabiner (knot, tie, fastener, other hardware). Experiment with machines for handle manufacture and filling/baking process of mould to achieve the handle's pattern and rigidity.
- Challenge
- Sustainability: Which machine and manufacturing method used 100% recycled plastic for the handle. The compression mould was the most labour-intensive, requiring more human interaction but resulted in the best aesthetic and form. Design & Aesthetic: Our design heavily departs from the conventional dog lead. Many iterations were made to its shape, weight, size and colours recipes to ensure it was eye-catching yet practical and ergonomic, focusing on the humans' comfortable grip.
- Realization and Technology
- The leash handle is made via compression moulding from 100% used plastic shampoo & conditioner bottles. The bottles are shredded and sorted by colour. The shreds are weighed according to our leash range of colour recipes and randomly sprinkled into the mould. The mould is baked and cooled before the handle is removed and trimmed by hand. The finished handles are connected to the leash rope (100% r-pet) and the carabiner by a knot each. The knots are sealed by flame to complete the process.
- Operation and Interaction
- The handle design is one size fits all and encourages a firm human hand grip by wrapping your fingers over the contours placed at the top of the base of the handle. Once the human hand wraps around the handle base, the grip is snug. Any pulling from the dog does not contract the handle as it is rigid; hence the human hand grip is not disturbed and remains stable.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project started in September 2019 and finished in November 2020
- Specifications
- Leash Handle Dimension: 155mm X 330mm X 145mm Leash Weight: 211g approx. Standard Leash Length (including handle): 1.25m Long Leash Length (including handle): 1.75m Rope Breaking Force:285KG
- Keywords
- Recycled, Sustainable, Circular, Pet, Eco, Dog, Dog Leash, Dog Lead, Plastic
