Bespoke Design:
The Wallet Project
Bespoke Design & Fabrication for 21st Century Industry
Problem
Bespoke design far out performs mass production on all fronts, but especially in terms of user experience & product quality. Most things are mass-produced - which is good for the sake of supporting and encouraging technological development, population growth, and so on. However, not all objects are maximized for individual use; wallets and other such objects are personal and, by nature, require bespoke design and fabrication. I'm in search of a possibility for bespoke design within mass production, ideally, a process that is in line with ethics and sustainability.
Conceptual Development
Tester Wallets & User Research
User 1: Janhvi
Janhvi's Original Wallet
Tester Wallet I:
User 11: Shozab
Shozab's Original Wallet
Tester Wallet II:
Design, Prototyping, & Fabrication
User 1: Janhvi
User 11: Shozab
Final Prototypes
User 1: Janhvi
User 11: Shozab
Next Steps
Both Wallets:
- New prototype using better quality, thicker leather to explore:
- thickness of multiple layers sewn together
- bends' and curves' stability
- Pattern adjustment to better fit dollar bills
- Sustainability assessment / End-of-life plan
Janhvi's Wallet:
- Source appropriate zippers
- Test & compare decorative patterns using leather dye and embroidery thread
- D rings for strap option
Shozab's Wallet:
- Acrylic box prototypes & testing
- Heating and bending acrylic
- Effectiveness for RFID/contactless card reading
- Attachment method to wallet body
- Find RFID-blocking fabric for testing
Other Next Steps:
- Create a wallet system (as outlined in image >) to create bespoke wallet designs within the paradigm of mass production
