Recognitions:
Core 77 Design Awards Category Winner
International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) Finalist
International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) Finalist
International Housewares Association Global Innovation Award
The Paper Towel Pump is an all-in-one cleanup kit that integrates a paper towel holder with a removable spray pump. It was designed to be a space saving and convenient cleanup kit for your kitchen and any room that needs cleaning and sanitizing.
Some of the challenges we faced when designing the paper towel pump was to design a spray pump that fit into the center of a tube that a paper towel roll could slide onto, while still maintaining enough volume to be useful. We also wanted to make it portable, so the product had to have a handy way of carrying it around from room to room. Our solution was to make the spray pump lock into place for carrying, but with a gentle press on the top be released so that it could be removed from the center rod for usage. The paper towel holder has a mechanical arm that creates friction to make tearing paper towels off easy, and much time was spent studying the user experience of the pump itself, with factors taken into account such as the amount of force needed to press the button, the distance necessary to make it work, the amount of liquid that was to be dispensed when pressed, and the actual pattern of the spray. The base is weighted to create stability and the top of the base was simplified from the previous generation to make it easier to clean.
The design language of the paper towel pump is based upon its functionality. We strip away the unnecessary for a simpler, more intuitive and satisfying experience. It has been refined until we arrive at a minimal form that perfectly complements its function. The open loop at the top is there for 2 reasons - to make it a carrying handle so that you can move it easily from one location to the next; and it's there to provide generous finger clearances when using the pump. Press down on the pump to release it from the paper towel holder. When finished, just place it back into the center tube and press down to lock it in place. The underside of the loop is grey plastic to reduce the visual weight of the loop, and because the pump moves up and down, the plastic minimizes any scratches or scuffing that would occur if the surface was metal. The large pump button is curved for comfort when pressing, and we visually exposed the pump nozzle so people would know this is not just a paper towel holder. We also designed in a small anti-roll detail that prevents the pump from rolling off a flat surface if pushed.
Simplehuman has a brand motto of "tools for efficient living", and this product was designed to follow the brand ethos. From the start, simplehuman has always leveraged design and innovation as a powerful tool to set itself apart from the competition. They lead the market segment when it comes to design, and the competition will soon follow with a copycat product. This product, like many other simplehuman products, is the first of its kind in the market, and much time has been spent on the design and UX to make it superior to the competition. It is a cleaning tool that makes your life just a bit more efficient.
