Ark
Introduction
The idea for the original Ark travel system came from the frustrations as parents using pushchairs that just didn’t have what was needed for family life outdoors. The brief was to design a pushchair that is one-handed fold, lightweight & compact, great around town, but also durable enough to last many years of exploring the British countryside! Arks ambition was to make a difference in the lives of young families through determinedly focusing on ease of use, comfort and safety, so that little adventures are easier and more enjoyable.
PROCESS
Prototyping involved creating multiple iterations of the design to test and improve the innovative features of the product and improve the strength of the subsequent patent application. D2M built two prototypes in the UK and then worked closely with the selected manufacturer to create 3 further samples for review with potential customers.
Textiles development was a huge part of the process. D2M produced significant research, testing, and validation of new material choices. Sourcing the correct material was a vital part in the process with D2M managed to accomplish.
Manufacturing was managed by D2M initially to manage the quality and ensure that the design intent was realised by the factory effectively. D2Ms excellent relationship with manufacturing partners made the process run a lot smoother.
The project took 2 years from start to finish due to the level of complexity in the project and innovation in the design.
What makes the Ark pushchair different?
Ark prides themselves on being a British business that not only designs innovative pushchairs but accessories too. The practical and creative details in the products are born out of the experience as parents and their design and engineering DNA. Phil Staunton one of the founders of Ark is the managing director of D2M Innovation. Phil’s product design experience was used tremendously when designing the Ark pushchair. Phil knows what takes to design and launch a new innovative pushchair on the market.
Key Features
Ark textiles have been carefully sourced and selected to be the best for your baby. It’s our intention, wherever possible, to use natural and sustainable materials. Ark uses natural fabrics which are:
- Chemical Free
- Naturally breathable
- Antibacterial & hypoallergenic
The unique system of ventilation panels aid air flow through the pushchair when they’re open. There’s a removable temperature gauge in the carrycot so you can check on your baby’s environment and to aid temperature regulation further and a real sheep wool layer in our carry cot mattress as standard.
Regulated climate control features:
- Airflow ventilation panels
- Temperature regulating, layered wool mattress
- Temperature Indicator
Super-sensitive springs inside the pushchair frame deliver effective suspension when there is little or no load in the travel system: perfect protection for your newborn. As the child grows and gets heavier, the honeycomb wheels have been cleverly designed to deliver two layers of suspension as they compress and absorb shock on impact. The material is both mud-resistant and ultra-durable, meaning they’re easy to clean and will last a lifetime.
Smoother ride features include:
- Shock absorbent honeycomb wheel
- Hyper-responsive hidden suspension
- Durable puncture proof material
Results
The Ark pushchair is currently being sold in John Lewis and other independent retailers all over the UK as well as through their own online website.
Ark has won multiple awards including a silver award at the Nursery Online 2020 for best pushchair and travel system and a bronze award at the Junior Design Awards 2020/21 for best pushchair design! Not to mention a whopping 5* star review rating on trust pilot!
