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Consumers are calling for an Eco Friendly sex life

The causes of climate change are a consideration for New Product Design and Development in every industry. Seemingly one industry that needs to pay attention is the adult toy industry. The majority of adult toys are made with polymers and many use disposable batteries. Most importantly, consumers can’t (or don’t want to?) easily recycle an adult toy and so they sit in drawers for years before discretely going into landfill wrapped against inquisitive eyes. All of which contributes towards the 45 million metric tonnes of electronic waste the world produces every year.

In actual fact adult toys made from sustainable materials such as wood and glass have been in the marketplace for many years. It is fair to say that adult toys made of wood and stone predate history. If the climate goes the way many are predicting your next adult toy might just have to be carved out of a bit of wood as you sit in a cave! To avert that, an increasing number of consumers are making an effort to prevent more damage to our planet by demanding environmentally friendly products.

The adult toy industry has seen a huge growth in recent years as adult toys become more widely acknowledged as products contributing to health and well-being. In the press recently has come news that large retailers such as Sainsburys and Boots are now stocking a number of “top shelf” adult toys. At the same time, consumers are demanding ethically manufactured products. We at Sated Design therefore expect to see the adult toy market shift towards a more ethical manufacturing base and we predict new companies will come into the marketplace to exploit their know how in those areas and capitalise on the opportunity. Established manufacturers need to make sure they are not caught napping.

Consumers will demand provenance for claims made about any products that claim to be eco-friendly and ethically manufactured. Allied to this will be consumer expectation that products must still deliver the highest quality and performance. We think these will be challenging times especially when social media picks its heroes and its villains.

Do you have an idea for a new Sex Toy? Would you like a little help to guide you through the journey of making your product a desirable reality? Get in touch today – we may just be able to help you.

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Planting the seed for a great product

Cast your minds back to Christmas 2018 (I know, it’s almost half a year ago already!) and you may recall being a lucky recipient of one of Sated Design’s extra special Christmas cards. These cards were extra special because they were created entirely from seeded paper. Within each piece of cut paper, was a plethora of wildflower seeds. No one had any idea what plants would grow, least of all us.

For a little experiment we planted the off cuts and spares in our own planters and the results have been better than we ever could have hoped. In early March there were signs of early seedlings and with plenty of nurturing we now have some spectacular wildflowers brightening up the office.

Marketing Manager Holly says “Christmas cards are an important way of showing our appreciation for our clients during the season of goodwill but we’re also very conscious of the environment and operating sustainably as a business. These seeded paper cards meant that we were able to send seasons greetings and messages of thanks without impacting heavily on the environment”.

The inspiration behind these cards is how we operate as a business. As a product design consultancy, we use our experience and skills to nurture, develop and grow the ideas of our clients; turning a seed of an idea into a market ready product.

Holly continues “We planted our own off cuts and spares and we’re delighted with the results. We really had no idea what or even if anything would grow. Between us we’ve cared for our wildflowers every step of the way, and that’s how we like to operate with our clients as a business”.

Contact us today
If you’ve got a product idea planted in your mind and you want to develop it and it take to market, we will assist you through your journey. Give us a call – product design is what we do!

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Making your sex toy idea happen

Some of us at one time or another, may have had a new sex toy idea and we thought it could be the next big thing. There’s been a lot of talk in the industry recently that SexTech start ups are shifting away from the phallic shapes towards new and innovative products.

The journey between the initial idea and seeing it on the shelves can be a very rewarding experience. However the road to success is littered with hidden pitfalls. Many companies and inventors struggle, or even fail, to develop a new product without appropriate assistance.

First and foremost, our role at Sated Design is to assist businesses in developing a new or improving an existing product so it is ready for its intended market.

A typical project would include one or more of the following stages:

Review – the idea may be good, but does it tick all the boxes to be a successful and commercially viable product? This is the first step along the road and allows you to decide whether it is worth continuing or not.
Funding – Developing, protecting, manufacturing and distributing a product will require a substantial financial investment. How are the necessary funds going to be raised?
Protecting – There is no point having a great product if a copycat competitor steals your market advantage. What type of intellectual property protection is most suitable?
Developing the product – To take an idea from a rough sketch on the back of a paper napkin to a physical product rolling off the production line involves several stages. From the initial concept sketches, prototyping and testing, to producing data files ready for manufacturing, there are many elements to consider in development of a product.
Selling the product – All the hard work getting the product developed and manufactured will be for nothing if distribution and marketing fails. How are you going to get a good return on your investment?

Even the most accomplished will require assistance with new sex toy ideas which is where Sated Design’s expertise is invaluable. We work closely with all our clients to ensure they have all the support they need throughout the product development process.

Who we are
Sated Design was founded in 2003. We are a focused company who want our clients to achieve business success with innovative products that address the key factors of performance, reliability, cost and aesthetics.

We have designed many products within the Adult industry and to date our products have won Best Male Product for ETO, Winner of XBIZ Best Male Pleasure Product, Winner of Erotixx Highest Potential Product as well as several nominations for other Erotica Awards.

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Welcome to new recruit Holly Hollis

Sated Design are pleased to welcome new recruit Holly Hollis to the team. Holly will be responsible for managing all aspects of digital marketing. In an age where social media platforms offer impactful and cost effective ways of marketing, Sated recognises the importance of these platforms in connecting with current and potential clients and advertising our product design services.

New recruit Holly says “I am delighted to join Chris and the team. This role is very exciting – no day will be the same! Sated Design offers such a wide range of services across many sectors and that’s what attracted me to apply for the position. I’m looking forward to growing our digital presence and as a result of this work, our client base.”

Holly’s appointment marks the beginning of an expansion plan for Sated Design and sister company Hillside Product Design Ltd in 2019. We are also recruiting for a Senior Product Designer to further grow our capabilities. Recent interest from new clients in the USA are helping business to boom. We are also seeing opportunities for business growth in the UK with the introduction of funding such as the Innovate UK Smart grants for manufacturing and innovation at a national level.

Company Director Chris Howsam says “Holly joining the team marks the start of our expansion plans. Forget the doom and gloom. We are finding new clients and looking to make 2019 a great year; so watch this space.”

Let’s create something together.

If you have an idea for a new product, we can make your ideas a reality, guiding you all the way from your initial concept to a marketplace-ready product. Whether you’re a large corporation, SME, new technology start-up, or entrepreneur we offer a complete design for manufacturing service.

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The Importance of Continuous Testing

Testing a product concept during all stages of its development is an important part of the design process. Prototypes, mock-ups and test rigs, or whatever you wish to call them, enable the design team to evaluate every aspect of a product. Using feedback derived from tests the design team create great products which delight the user and make healthy profits for the manufacturing and distributing chain.

Here at Sated Design our approach to the development of adult toys makes use of many different types of prototypes and each prototype brings its own benefits to the end design. At the end of the development process the design team and the client can be confident that the final product is indeed fit for purpose. Prototypes are generally made in house in our model shop although we will use external suppliers for specialist parts.

Good visual imagery is an important part of any design process as it is an effective way of showing what the final outcome will potentially look like. 2D images have their place; they are great for visualisation but are unable to portray some of the important details; for example the weight and feel of the product. Accurate prototypes that are faithful to the intended appearance and feel of the final design are extremely useful in marketing discussions and for pre-launch media. We have lost count of the number of occasions when a prototype has been photographed before a production piece has been available. That is not poor time planning, it is in fact the opposite and a necessity when rapid design techniques have to bring together marketing/promotion during the run up to a launch or exhibition.

Good user experience is a vital part of any adult toy. The whole experience of receiving the item, opening the packaging and switching the toy on are very important but they are the aperitif for the main course. If the toy does not ‘work’ then it is just a big let-down and that has to be avoided at all costs. Working prototypes are a vital part of getting this right in the product development. An example of how this process can work came about very recently when our model makers made a silicone prototype of a new vibrator. This was sent out for user testing and the feedback suggested that the sensations could be improved by thickening a certain part of the shaft profile. A second prototype was quickly prepared and once again sent out to the same person for testing. Within days we received positive feedback. This simple, quick and low costs exercise gave the client the confidence to immediately go forward to the next stage of development and the tester kept the prototype!

Some prototypes are quite mundane but they still serve a vital role in improving the assembly and cost effective manufacture of a product. It is not uncommon for our design team to prepare several 3D printed prototypes to evaluate wiring, motor mounting, jigging/fixtures and resolving fine details of switches and connectors to ensure that no detail is ignored.

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Are There Advantages of Outsourcing Your Design Requirements?

Here we look at why it may be the better option rather than building your own in-house team of designers.

Experience:
Consultancies deal with a wide range of products across a variety of markets, giving them a greater breadth and depth of skill and knowledge. This knowledge helps to fast track ideas to becoming a reality, whereas working within your own confines can potentially take much longer, especially if it is proving difficult to know where to begin.

Working with many projects and different clients, here at Sated Design we can cross pollinate insights and knowledge gained from a host of different varying projects. Our depth of experience coupled with your knowledge results in original thoughts which develop into original products that standout not just in terms of aesthetics but also in functionality.

Cost:
Hiring external design services at first glance may seem expensive, but in the long run will prove to be cost effective. By paying for design services only when you need them, this not only saves on the cost of salaries but also all of the other extra expenses such as software-licences, workstations, prototypes and testing equipment.

Design consultancies not only help to save time and money by designing your product but also help you save when it comes to manufacturing. By using your design-house’s suppliers, you will be able to receive competitive quotations and manufacturing experience, which is not easy to find on your own.

Flexibility:
Designing might not be your full time job, it may be your hobby therefore you may not have sufficient time to focus on achieving your goals for your project. Seeking external design expertise will help you prioritise the workload or assist you at critical phases of the design process. It is always a good idea to seek help or even advice during the development of your product. Any delays in launching products or missing a design opportunity can end up costing you far more than the cost of hiring external help.

Conclusion:
By helping you to refine your ideas to a good product for your intended market and ensuring that the end result can be manufactured we may just save you time, money and a catalogue of unexpected challenges.

If you need something designing, or to compliment your current design capabilities, or even just a fresh perspective on a project, please contact us here at Sated Design.

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Is It Possible to Satisfy Everyone?

If someone said your laces were undone you would simply bend over and tie them without a moment’s hesitation wouldn’t you? If they asked you to describe how you tie your shoe laces you would have to think it through and possibly find it difficult to adequately describe all the movements required to achieve this. Think of these movements and how difficult this simple task would be for someone who has mobility issues – you would be right to suggest ‘not easy’. Now imagine the struggle for the same person attempting to use an adult toy for pleasure!

Have you ever considered the phrase “to walk in someone else’s shoes”? This means to understand some aspect of life from another person’s experience and point of view. Not surprisingly this methodology is often referred to when designing products for the less abled and the associated problems that go with it. As product designers we apply this approach every day and most of the time it is not easy as you may expect. At the very simple end of the scale it might be possible to sit in a wheelchair and experience the problems of self-closing doors or reaching for items on the top shelf in a supermarket, but the majority of the experiences designers try to understand are often much more complex and perhaps none more so than when sexual satisfaction is in question.

How many of us have given any thought to the difficulty a less able person might have in achieving sexual satisfaction? What about a person who needs continual care and support? How do they satisfy their own needs when it might be impossible to even reach ‘down there’? How do you talk about this with a carer, especially if they are a family member? There are no easy and uncontroversial solutions for this particular situation but there are answers for people who experience difficulty in their reach, twisting, or gripping in everyday situations. Why should matter of sexual satisfaction be any different? It is arguable that what works for a less able bodied person will work even better for an able bodied person so it is beneficial to everyone to make the design of adult toys as inclusive as possible. Consider this, why should an able bodied person struggle just because they can adapt to make an inconsiderate design work?

The adult toy industry often talks about everyone having the right to sexual happiness and fulfillment but can it honestly say it offers all that it could?

Get in touch to discuss your ideas today. We can help guide you through the journey of making your desirable product a reality.

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Prototypes with Purpose – Adult toy concepts

Adult toy product design company

Sated Design have many years’ experience producing prototypes for the adult toy industry. They generally fall into five types and cover many applications.

1. Sex Toy Cosmetic Prototypes – ‘looks like’

Used for evaluating product form, feel, ergonomics and styling, we use this prototyping level for marketing, photography, video, and focus groups. This kind of prototype will feature accurate likenesses of product forms, materials, finishes and surface textures but only from one or two elevations. The level of detail and the ‘wholeness’ of the prototype are often dependent on the application and the client’s budgetary constraints.

2. Adult Toy Proof of concept Prototypes – ‘works like’

A test-rig. This kind of prototype functions electromechanically in the same way as the final product. This type of prototype is very useful as a proof-of-concept, demonstrating novelty for Intellectual Property, or to communicate core functionality. For example suction, vibrator motors, moving parts, or detachable accessories. What it doesn’t do is look exactly like the finished product – some or all of the external form may be cut away or missing, and the prototype is more ‘functional’ than cosmetic.

3. Sex Toy Presentation Prototype

The prototype is functionally and visually identical to the final product – sufficient to take the design to a meeting with potential buyers or investors, or to trial with product testers. Materials may not be the same as in production, and some manufacturing details such as draft angles will be missing but that would not be apparent. High definition 3D printed parts are common for this kind of prototype.

4. Pre-production Facsimile Prototype

Launching a product is a big leap, so it is crucial that our clients are confident that the designs we produce for them are right. To enable our clients to proceed with confidence, we use prototypes which mimic, as closely as possible, the product’s intended mechanical and aesthetic characteristics and manufacturing details. As well as for final sign-off, this kind of prototype is often used for achieving certification. While specific production-grade injection moulding polymers or casting alloys are not always available for prototyping, parts will typically be prepared from the closest possible material.

5. Sex Toy Prototype tooling

Where a product requires a very large tooling investment or will be produced in very high quantities, it is often recommended to produce a prototype tool to enable verification of the product before final commitment. These tools are usually single cavity, and made from softer steels or aluminium and can be used to produce small runs (up to 5000 typically) of finished parts. There have even been recent advancements in 3D printed tooling which can save thousands of pounds and cut weeks from the development schedule. Sated Design have experience of helping companies prove and deliver high-stakes tooling and can help your company make the leap with confidence.

Product Design Prototype – deadline looming

As well as a large catalogue of external suppliers for all manner of prototyping services, Sated Design has an in-house prototyping capability, enabling our expert model-makers to produce high-quality prototypes with fast turnarounds. Our facilities include:

• 4-axis CNC milling machine
• 3D printer
• Model-making workshop with extensive tools and materials
• Low-melt alloy casting
• Foam modelling
• Basic PCB manufacturing
• High quality, short lead time silicone parts. A wide range of colours, hardnesses and other effects are available, from solid colours to flesh-like appearances. We can offer a range of options to produce silicone parts to suit your project and budget.

If you have a new adult product idea or an existing product you want to develop for this fast moving market, we are the people to help you get there and succeed. Give us a call on 01626 774881 for a free of charge, confidential initial consultation.

Let’s Create Something Great Together
Contact us today
info@sateddesign.com

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