What do biodegradable disposable slippers, Motorola's Razr V3 mobile phone, the Nike Considered Boot, Sony's QUALIA016 digital camera and the iPod Shuffle have in common?
PUNE, India — What do biodegradable disposable slippers, Motorola's Razr V3 mobile phone, the Nike Considered Boot, Sony's QUALIA016 digital camera and the iPod Shuffle have in common?
Well, they were all named winners this week of the 2005 International Industrial Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) instituted by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) and sponsored by BusinessWeek, USA.
While the Motorola, Nike, Sony and iPod won the gold prize in the Idea 2005 consumer products category, the biodegradable "Solemates" designed by Pune-based National Institute of Design (NID), alumnus Satish Gokhale, won the bronze prize in the same category.
This is the first time that an industrial designer from India has won this prestigious award sponsored by BusinessWeek magazine, USA.
"I am indeed happy; this recognition will certainly help us grow," Gokhale told TNN at his Design Directions studio in Pune.
The disposable slippers cost less than 50 cents (Rs 22) to manufacture and yet it is comfortable on the feet, has an anti-skid sole and a mesh texture to quickly absorb water and make it "breathable".
Its ecofriendly nature, low cost and utility in the airlines, hotels, infotech industry, at home and in a host of other closed environments are factors that seem to have clearly struck a chord with the awards selection jury.
When asked about the concept, Gokhale told TNN on Saturday that he saw a need for clean, disposable footwear in hospitals, hotels, software industry, inside long-distance flights and other such closed environments where people have to spend long hours indoors.
"Everytime you walk into a manufacturing set up, a software development lab or hospital units, you are required to remove your footwear. You then wear common, smelly slippers that are unhygenic because they are never cleaned and are used by many visitors. The disposable footwear developed by us can be used in these environments and can also be provided by airlines in long distance flights and by hotels in their rooms," Gokhale said.
Within two days of the awards' annoucements, Gokhale has started receiving queries from abroad for his product.
Having applied for a patent, Gokhale is now hopeful that some manufacturer will show interest and enter into a licensing/royalty arrangement with him.
The industrial designer and his wife Falguni, both NID alumni manage their studio Design Directions in Pune which has designed a number of medical, electronics, automobile and capital goods products. It's Ecodirections wing has created an entire range of products using Ecolink chipboard, a recycled material made from Tetra Pak package waste.
Gokhale, who's won numerous awards for his work over 18 years was named as the best Indian designer by Businessworld magazine in 2004.
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Source: Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
