MAISO (2020 - Present)
A premium insulated water bottle brand designed for your home. www.maiso.co
Maiso started as an ambitious project to launch a personal idea to market. My goal was to gain a wholistic understanding of getting a product to market, from concept development to reaching the end customer. I’ve always been curious in exploring the areas outside of the conventional product design scope, such as manufacturing, product development, product launch, and marketing strategies. I was also very particular with my water bottles, so I believed that a water bottle would be the perfect medium to pursue this project.
Opportunity
Most water bottles on the market were primarily made for the outdoors. This results in a rugged and sporty aesthetic, which have become the norm. Most people however, just carry their water bottles to places such as work and home. I believe that less rugged and more refined design language then can be preferred. With this in mind, I sought to create a water bottle that blends seamlessly into one's surroundings, particularly in the home.
Construction Research
Construction research was done on a wide variety of existing water bottles on the market. My goal was to figure out the construction methods and weld positions of the double-walled stainless steel. This led me to cut open a majority of water bottles on the market with an angle grinder.
Prototyping
After designing the right silhouette, I spent time exploring the proportions and sizes of the water bottles. 3D printing helped me analyze different proportions in person. I finalized with a 17 oz and 9 oz bottle, as they were optimal sizes and complemented each other well.
Product Development/Manufacturing
After finding a verified supplier, I went through process of sampling, quality control, and reviewing assembly line processes. It took about 6 rounds of prototype samples to complete the finished product. From color matching to alignment, I discovered the challenges when creating consistent products in large quantities. I helped aid the supplier in creating consistent manufacturing solutions, as well as solving compromises in order to keep the product’s overall design intent.
Finished Product
I was inspired by the natural objects from around my home. I was looking towards materials such as ceramics and wood, as they have a sense of warmth and individuality to them. I wanted this bottle to harmonize with the existing objects around my home.
One design aspect was to hide the metal from showing on the bottle. The reflective nature of metal visually clashed with the natural color and material pallet that I preferred. By hiding the metal element to the inside of the bottle, it simplified the material break up, lending the bottles to feel more natural. Other design details include having an ergonomic drinking lip that flows with the curvature of your mouth, hiding the threads of the bottle on the inside, employing a wide mouth opening, and having a silicone bottom, so the bottle rests gently on tables when you’re setting it down.
Branding
The brand's design ethos is centered around creating a natural and sophisticated aesthetic that seamlessly integrates with the modern lifestyle. The brand's goal is to promote a sense of wellbeing and balance in the lives of its customers through its products. To achieve this, I opted for a minimalistic approach, emphasizing the beauty of simplicity. The bottles are typically displayed with natural materials such as stone and concrete, which further reinforces the brand's connection with natural elements. The muted color palette, featuring soft hues of beige and gray, adds to the understated elegance of the brand's identity.
Website Design
The design of the website had to work with the brand identity of the water bottle. I designed the website with a minimal feel, incorporating a light muted gray color palette. The goal was to create a sophisticated and luxurious feeling website that complements the design of the water bottle.
