Design Lab was tasked to develop new merchandise for Otis College with a focus on
sustainability and the connections between student-created work and the Otis community.
Design Lab designers began by researching products that would be great for Otis’ store while identifying the audience’s demographic and product gaps. They met with Otis College stakeholders to define the goals and objectives for the project.
The designers brainstormed their ideas into sketches, and the design chosen for further exploration was a tote bag with three pockets depicting Otis's logo. This design was inspired by the shape of Otis's logo while adding a functional element to the bag.
The design was then taken into production, and tote bags were made using recycled pole banners featuring illustrations by Otis alum Genesis Otero (‘24 BFA Animation). During the production process, the designers learned to deal with production trade-offs and cost management. They developed unconventional methods to manufacture the tote bags which decreased production time; they also created a step-by-step list of the most efficient production processes to deal with the thick pole banner material. They discovered that production is a critical part of the design process, where the ability to take a design to market is tested and refined.
This limited 'CAMPUS' series of tote bags will be launched in Fall ‘25 and will be followed by a second limited series.
Project Team
Aidan Quigley ‘25 Product Design
Bona Nguyen ‘25 Product Design
Lily Nguyen-Wilson ‘26 Product Design
Viviana Ley ‘25 Product Design
Steven Wiryopranoto ‘25 Product Design