An invention by small UK company Jelly Products Ltd, based in the East Midlands, has helped the European stroller brand Quinny win international design awards. Jelly Products invented the clever new folding mechanism behind the new lightweight, compact stroller the Quinny Yezz, which hit the UK high street in January.
The Dutch stroller brand Quinny has been granted a Red Dot ‘Best of the Best’ Award for the Quinny Yezz, an ultra-lightweight, compact buggy made for city life. Praised for its clever design and use of materials, flexibility and compact size, Quinny Yezz joins the ranks of top global brands such as the Apple iPhone 4 and the BMW 5 series. Since the December 2011 launch of the smallest and lightest buggy ever made, the Quinny Yezz has been honoured with three prestigious prizes for Product Design (iF Award), Industrial Design (GIO Award) and Innovative Use of Materials (ESEF Award).
“We are very proud to have played our part in the success of the Quinny Yezz” says Sam Pearce, the founder director of Jelly Products Ltd. “The UK has a great reputation for creativity and invention, and Jelly is part of that tradition. I like to challenge myself and others in my designs. Dorel’s product design team combined my idea for a folding mechanism with a fantastic use of modern materials, resulting in a really exciting yet practical product, and I’m delighted that these awards recognise that achievement.”
As a Dad with young children in London, Sam couldn’t understand why so many lightweight strollers still used the umbrella folding mechanism invented in the 1960s. Although a good design, it seemed odd that in 40 years no one had bettered it. He set out to design a lightweight pushchair that could be folded easily to fit into the boot of a small car, and could be opened and steered with just one hand – leaving the other hand free for a toddler or older sibling. He patented his design in 2008 and quickly sold the rights to one of Europe’s leading nursery manufacturers, Dorel.
Smart urban looks for the smallest and lightest buggy ever
The Quinny Yezz weighs a mere 5 kg and in a single movement folds to an extremely compact package. The fastfold makes it easy to switch from pushing to carrying the buggy if you are moving about the city with your child. The Quinny Yezz is the first buggy made entirely from IXEF®, an innovative high-performance plastic material that makes the jetblack frame ultra-lightweight yet incredibly strong. The strong parachute-like fabric comfortably hugs the child seated in the Yezz. Extremely easy to steer, the skate wheels makes for a smooth urban ride. A surprising novelty in stroller land, the eye-catching Yezz buggy is produced in the Netherlands.
The Quinny Yezz received the following top honours for Product Design Excellence:
- The Red Dot ‘Best of the Best’ Award: Product design
- The iF Award: Product Design
- The GIO Award: Good Industrial Design
- The ESEF Award: Innovative Material Application
Red Dot Best of the Best Award
The Red Dot design award dates back to 1955 and is now one of the world’s largest and most distinguished design competitions. A winner in the Product Design category, the Quinny Yezz was one of 1,800 companies, renowned designers and up-and-coming talents from 58 countries entering the competition, submitting a total of 4,515 products for the coveted award. The international jury was made up of professionals in the field of product design.
Quote from the jury report:
Quinny Yezz of Dorel inspired the international expert jury of the Red Dot award: product design 2012. With this buggy, Quinny placed one of the best designs of the year in the competition for the world’s coveted red dot. Its excellent design style convinced the 30-member jury. 4,515 products were entered in the renowned design competition 2012, but only a few had the honour of receiving this recognised quality mark. The experts thoroughly examined, tested and evaluated each individual entry in applying the highest standards. With their performances, the laureates not only demonstrated an extraordinary design quality, they also showed that design is an integral part of innovative product solutions.
For further information on the Red Dot Award see: http://en.red-dot.org/
iF Award
Established in 1953, the iF Awards are one of the most important award competitions worldwide for innovative design. The winners of the iF Awards are chosen by independent members of a jury made up of internationally renowned designers, entrepreneurs and academics who evaluate all of the entries based on pre-defined criteria. This year, more than 2,000 products from 37 countries were entered in the competition for the iF award. The Quinny Yezz won the award for Product Design.
For further information on the iF Award, see: www.ifdesign.de
ESEF Award – Innovative Material Application
The ESEF Awards focus on the use of materials. Quinny’s development partner Pezy’s and production partner VDL Parree contribution to the Quinny Yezz, the high-performance plastic IXEF, won the award in the category ‘Innovative Material Application’. ESEF Award jury report: ‘In a market dominated by a sizeable offering from China, the designers took on the challenge and set themselves apart with an extremely lightweight model that is easy to fold. Add to this its trendy look, and you’ve got a product that is sure to appeal to the target group. The brilliant application of this strong synthetic material has made it possible for both designer and producer to leave any competition far behind.’
For further information about the ESEF award: www.esef.nl
GIO Award
The Good Industrial Design (GIO) Award is the ultimate recognition for industrial designers, demanding more than just an attractive design. Functionality, originality, ease of use and innovation are equally important. Quinny’s development partner Pezy’s and production partner VDL Parree won the award for good industrial design. The jury is impressed with the full recyclability of the Quinny Yezz and how its unique design makes a European production location possible. The patented folding system of the Yezz is truly unique and using screw connections only, the buggy is easy to disassemble and to recycle.
For further information on the GIO award: http://gio.designlink.nl/
Notes for editors:
About Jelly Products
Jelly Products was founded in 2006 by industrial designer Sam Pearce. Jelly provides product design consultancy services to manufacturers in the UK and abroad, and has successfully protected its own original ideas. In 2008 Jelly Products sold its patented design for a unique new mechanism for folding a child’s stroller to Dorel, the company behind the Quinny brand.
www.jellyproducts.co.uk
About Quinny
Quinny offers innovative, intelligent and environmentally conscious mobility solutions for parents to experience urban life. The range consists of high-quality strollers and buggies. In 2011 Quinny introduced the Quinny Moodd and the Quinny Yezz, two innovative products which give parents the freedom to move around in an urban environment. Quinny is a premium brand of Dorel Industries (TSX:DII.B;DII.A).
www.quinny.com
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