04.14.04
Priority Designs creates a new line of soft goods for Mead and Nike.

The latest products from our soft goods design specialty team will be helping students this fall. Working in conjunction with Mead and Nike, Priority Designs designed the latest line of Nike licensed binders and organizers. Mead, the leading school and business supply manufacturer, uses their high-end Nike line to show off the latest improvements and design, technology and function. For 2004, Priority Designs was hired to continue this tradition of innovation.

To uncover potential new areas for innovation, Priority Designs conducted observational research at a 5th-8th grade middle school where students were video taped arriving at school, departing the bus, interacting with their lockers and walking to class. Said lead designer, Tom Africa "From the research, we gained valuable insight into what students carry, how they carry it, and how they use these products to connect with their friends. It gave us a wealth of design inspiration that went into the NIKE Origami line and for other products that you will see in the future."

The style of the binders is really unique. Because of the unique way the binders and organizers fold and unfold to reveal storage spaces, the ancient Japanese art of Origami was chosen as a design theme and carried through to all the products in this line.

Because Priroity Designs specializes in soft goods development they have gained an expertise in design, knowledge of materials and processes and experience coordinating overseas vendors that is unmatched in industrial design consultanting firms. Priority Designs' contributions to this project included research, 2-D concept development, pattern design, and overseas vendor coordination.

For more information about Mead consumer and office products go to www.mead.com