Interviews med Ridzert Ingenegeren

The idea was to create a packaging series for the Bergkvist knives that is suitable as gift packaging. My client and I also wanted to make it an eco-friendly alternative to many other knife packagings that are currently used on the market.

There were two main focuses, namely to provide an interesting unboxing experience and to create sustainable products.

The packagings are already used for successfully selling knives of the Bergkvist brand. As with other designs I create, it is my wish for the packaging to help my client succeed.

Designing the main concept took less than two months, after which a few months were needed to finalize product development with the manufacturer.

The design was commissioned by Bergkvist. The collaborative approach of my client and me was to find ways to make the packaging more sustainable than previous versions and other products on the market.

The packaging series is being produced by my client in collaboration with a manufacturer.

I looked at the packaging series from the perspective of recycling, combined with using renewable materials. Many packagings that are currently on the market use EVA foam to protect and present the product it carries. EVA foam does its job nicely, but has a low recyclability rate and is often hard to separate from its cardboard packaging. The Stripes packaging series is made 100% recyclable with paper, which means that the packagings can be disposed of in one go in a paper recycling bin. The inner cardboard of the packagings, as well as the brochures that comes with the knives, contain 100% recycled material. Extra care was taken to make the packaging plastic-free.

The Bergkvist brand was the main inspiration for the design. After my client and I had discussed the desired outcome, I designed multiple options that we could choose from. Conversations with the team and manufacturer of my client influenced the design as well.

Everyone who would like to buy a Bergkvist knife. Another part of the target group for the design is someone who wants to give a folding knife to someone else, which is why we made the packagings suitable as gift boxes.

The sustainable aspects: it is 100% recyclable with paper, has recycled materials for the inner cardboard and brochures. It is a plastic-free packaging without EVA foam or magnets.

The name ‘Stripes’ refers to the different stripe patterns on the packagings. Each packaging has a stripe pattern that refers to the form language or style of the knife it contains.

Graphic design software as well as CAD software.

The combination of being an esthetically pleasing gift box while at the same time being easy to recycle.

I collaborated with my client, his team, and the manufacturer to get all the details right.

The conventional way of working with EVA foam as inlay material would have been easier, but we chose for a solution that is recyclable with paper. We compared various materials and arrived at bagasse, which is a type of paper made of waste from the sugarcane industry. The technology for creating a bagasse inlay is vastly different from the technology for creating an EVA foam inlay. Technology plays an important role in this design, because the technological possibilities are directly related to the material.

My client performed market research that led to the start of the design project. On top of that, research into materials that are suitable for paper recycling was done together with the manufacturer.

Challenges were to find the right materials and to eliminate plastic, while at the same time keeping the solution cost efficient.

It would be great if the packaging series could be an inspiration for other people who design packagings or sell products, especially the sustainable aspects. If it would win an award from an international design competition, it should get more exposure and hopefully help with that goal.

Doing something unconventional might take more time and perseverance, but if you handle challenges as a team, you might as well create something big!

Well, if you’d like to develop a new product or packaging, you might want to start by having a look at www.ridzert.com

The idea was to design a knife that would fit the outdoor brand Bergkvist. At the same time, it had to be a unique addition to the collection of the brand.

The focus was to develop a unique folding knife with a striking design that could be protected by a design patent.

My client has been selling the folding knife for a few years now and the plan is for this to continue in the future.

The design process took a few months, which was followed by a couple of months for prototyping and discussing with the manufacturer.

The design was commissioned by the Bergkvist brand. A folding knife was on my list of products that I definitely wanted to design at least once, so it did fit my personal goals as a designer as well.

The production of the product is handled by my client in collaboration with a manufacturer.

I searched for a combination of logical functionality and novelty. I included specific aspects for ergonomics. The materials realize an interesting contrast. The wooden handle pieces have a large impact on the design and make it nice to hold.

The existing Bergkvist knives were an important inspiration, but I made sure to come up with something new and useful for the brand.

Adventurers, lovers of the outdoors, but also people who love to buy it as a present for someone else.

The form language and materials set the design apart.

The name K29 came up as a natural extension of the name of the knives that the brand already had. The designation communicates that it is the next one hand knife after K19.

Software packages for both 2D and 3D models of the knife, as well as an ergonomic database.

The balance between curved and angular lines and the way the wooden handle pieces are combined with the steel parts of the handle.

For finalizing technical details, I collaborated with the manufacturer of my client.

As with all mass produced items, technology has a distinct role. I had to take limits of effective production into account. What is possible in mass production is dictated by the machines that are used, and they all have their specific limits.

Ergonomic data influenced the handle design. Apart from this, my client gathered user feedback during the design phase that helped us with decision making.

One of the challenges was to find the right screws to use in this knife. There were a few requirements for them: they should not only be used in this knife, but they would be integrated in the rest of the knife collection too, they had to be widely available, and easy to remove and attach.

The collaboration with my client was pleasant and since the knife is a successful product on the market, I thought it might as well be a good candidate for an award.

During the design of this work, I learned that details might take time to work out, but that it’s worth it to pursue perfection.

Yes, if you’d like to develop your own product as well, have a look at www.ridzert.com

At the Delft University of Technology, I earned a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design Engineering and a master’s in Integrated Product Design.

I enjoy using beautiful well thought out products, and would like to create products that invoke these feelings in other people. Furthermore, I feel the need to create something that lasts, and it is fulfilling to me to have tangible results of the work that I do.

I chose to become a designer. The study of Industrial Design Engineering was the one that appealed most to me as it utilizes technology and creativity for creating tangible products. After I completed my studies, I was ready to go on and start creating products.

I design many different types of products, for example I worked on train interior and exterior designs, but also on jewelry boxes and a sustainable travel coffee filter. I would love to design more sustainable products, every day carry objects and luxury items.

Thank you for calling me that, that is very nice of you. Young designers could learn a lot from people that are already successful in the field. They could start working in a design team with senior designers or look for a mentor in the field.

Great designers seem to treat their work like a part of their life instead of just another job.

A really good design should be good on many levels, like esthetics, functionality, social impact and sustainability.

Design is changing the world, good or bad, since all physical products require materials that are transformed into products. Good design takes this into account and could change the world for the better by choosing for the best options that are available. People should invest in it in order to improve social and environmental conditions around the globe.

An airplane interior for KLM, hardware for Fujitsu and various product designs in partnership with Aman Resorts International.

Next to the answer on the previous question, it would be to develop products for my own brand.

Maybe I could tell it if you would ask me in a more personal setting, but otherwise I would like to keep if for myself, since it is part of my personal brand!

Tapani Jokinen and Ross Lovegrove are among the living legends that I get inspired by.

The firsts designs that come to mind are products form James Dyson and his company, because they create sleek designs that are radically different from their competitors.

The greatest design that is not confidential is the FLTRgo, a travel coffee filter. It is is collapsible, has a simple shape, a bamboo frame and organic cotton filter, and can be used hundreds of times.

Learn from experienced designers, because they know what they are talking about!

If I hadn't become an industrial designer, I would have been an architect.

Design is a way to strive for perfection to me.

My biggest supporter is my lovely wife.

Practicing day in and day out, and becoming obsessed with design.

It seems that when you are looking for your own path, people tend to warn you to take the regular and safe path. It has helped me to go against the grain and to create my own path.

I don't think there is one right way for designers to present their work. Go for it and try to perfect your presentation, one project at a time.

At the moment I'm working on multiple exciting projects for an outdoor brand, for a no plastic brand, and for a luxury brand.

To impact thousands of people in a positive way. To create a way for them to enrich and ease their lives.

People expect me to solve problems and come up with new ideas.

Design could create products that influence social and environmental conditions for the better, so that society as a whole is better off.

A luxury product that is very durable and has an innovative structure that is different from its competitors.

Projects that resulted in products that people use in their daily lives. When people use my products every day, I know that I have made an impact and hopefully improved someone’s life.

I would like to see more transparency from brands and manufacturers towards consumers regarding the right choices for techniques, materials, and finishes for health and the environment. I think it would be fair to make the information available all the time.

Towards a more sustainable future. Environmental regulations seem to become more strict in producing countries and end users are becoming more concerned about the environment.

Every design project is unique, but I often finalize a design project in between three weeks and three months.

I start with understanding the vision behind the product. I think it is really important to know what the client wants to achieve with the product and who will use it in order to be able to create the desired product.

Enriching people's daily lives.

I think it starts with leading product designs that become the example of what is modern, and they set the trends. The trends then set many other designs.

Manufacturing technologies are very important when I design. I have to know the possibilities and restrictions of manufacturing since I design products for mass production.

I use drawing software that allows me to create digital drawings and computer aided design software for creating 3D models that I can share with manufacturers.

They play a major role in conveying a specific look and feel. Trends often dictate colors and materials that people use, but I think the best product designs stand the test of time and still look modern after decades.

Questions about the story behind a design and questions that make me think of how to make the next design even better.

I'm thinking: wow, what a great job! Ingenious solutions and fascinating shapes! Who designed this?

My wife would be my ideal design partner, she completed a master’s in Psychology, she is intelligent and could deepen product designs with cognitive aspects of human-product interaction.

Until now, the industrial designers at Designhaus p+m, a design studio in Berlin, had the most influence on my design. I started my career there and evolved from a graduate in Industrial Design into an industrial designer.

Study books that I read about manufacturing had the most literal effect on my designs. Cradle to Cradle by William McDonough and Michael Braungart and Design for the Real World by Victor Papanek helped shaping my vision about product design.

Studying, learning from professionals, and practicing a lot.

I'd like to meet Eames and Eames and discuss their designs and what they think of their influence on current product design.

Thank you for these nice words. I feel that winning multiple A' Design Awards stands for recognition of my work, and I am not sure what it would be like to be famous. In any case, it is not my goal to be famous, I would like to focus on enriching the lives of thousands of people by helping my clients with the creation of their products.

In many cases, I would personally favor black instead of a color, however this really depends on the context. For example, many elements of home and office interiors that I prefer are white.

My favorite place is Osaka, Japan at the moment and my favorite food originated there, Takoyaki.

Summer is my favorite season and my favorite thing is freedom. Muji is one of my favorite brands with great designs by Naoto Fukasawa.

One day, I was sketching with a fellow designer for a small electric city car with innovative motors. We felt that we needed some guidance in order to grasp the scale of the vehicle. We decided to take some photographs of each other that could support us in the sketching process. From the requirements and existing components that were already in place, we carefully measured at what height we would have to sit, where our feet had to be, where the steering wheel would be. We ended up sitting on buckets outside, it must have been a ridiculous sight, two grown man sitting on buckets and pretending to drive cars!

It makes my day great to know that I can help create a more interesting world for many and that I have the chance to hone my skills day by day. I motivate myself by thinking of all interesting products that entrepreneurs and founders would like to realize. It is great to work together with people that are motivated about bringing their products to life as well!

As a child, I created wooden and paper objects for fun. I often drew geometrical shapes and patterns. It was obvious that I had to do something creative and at best unconventional.

A thousand years is an immensely long time, but on the other hand, basic issues and worries of human beings probably haven't changed too much since they started writing, and they will likely stay the same. Various developing nations will evolve and surpass developed countries in terms of sustainability and GDP. This might change the balance of power of the economies in the world. In a thousand years from now, we probably changed the way we fly and move ourselves and goods into more sustainable ways, and we would have cures for multiple diseases that are not available yet at the moment.

You can review projects that I worked on at www.ridzert.com and if you want to get in touch, you can send an email to info@ridzert.com.

Since I was a child, I liked to create objects. As a child, I made objects from wood and paper and drew geometric shapes and patterns for fun. I knew I had to do something creative. Product design turned out to be a logical outcome with my interests and skill set. So, I studied Industrial Design Engineering at the Delft University of Technology and became an industrial designer.

In 2012, I started designing for clients as an independent contractor, and have been working with local and international organizations in Berlin since then. In 2019, I registered my company in Estonia. I help clients turning their ideas into a reality, usually in the form of physical products suitable for mass production.

Design is combining multiple factors like function, esthetics, ergonomics, and manufacturing into a harmonious end product.

Sustainable products, everyday carry objects, and luxury items.

Since many of my designs are still confidential, I can only choose from a limited amount of designs to talk about. The FLTRgo is a favorite, since it combines two of my favorite types of design fields: sustainability and every day carry objects. Another one is the K29 folding knife, since designing a folding knife was one of my personal design goals.

A luggage rack for use in trains. It was a modular system that could be used in various train interiors. It had to be adjustable for lower and upper floor use, for which the requirements were very different.

It depends on the type of product, but in general I am fond of various types of wood and metals. If I had to choose just one favorite technology, I would go for electrical discharge machining, since it is fascinating.

When I'm traveling or on the go, because new impressions can spark new ideas.

When designing, I tend to focus on the bigger picture first, and then gradually move on to adding more detail.

All kinds of emotions, ranging from pure joy to utter frustration. In general, I feel very grateful that I work in the field of design.

When a design is realized, it is an amazing feeling, but what really touches me is when end users use the products that I designed in their daily live.

The succes of a design can be defined in multiple ways. For me, it is important to create something that my client, the final users, and I are happy with. However, it doesn't stop there. A design is successful if it is produced in a fair way and with materials that are won while respecting resources.

First the esthetics and materials, since they are most apparent. If I have more time to judge the design, I would go on to functionality and test the product if possible.

To search for solutions that serve society and the environment as well as the end user. It is also a responsibility to educate the client and other parties involved if necessary. Another responsibility is to learn from every project in order to be able to make the most informed decisions during the next design project.

The design field seems to be evolving towards a more sustainable and balanced future, at least this is how I like to see it.

The FLTRgo was exhibited at Museo Del Design in 2020 as part of a good design exhibition associated with the A’ Design Award. The FLTRgo is planned to be exhibited on a permanent design exhibition in Xi’An, China, as well.

In order to find inspiration, I tend to look at totally different objects than what I am designing. These could be natural or man-made objects. Especially traveling and going for a walk help to spark new ideas.

In my design style, I strive to focus on the essence of a product. When I am developing a product, I tend to question if it is possible to reduce the design by getting rid of elements that are still in place at that time that may be excessive. I aspire to create a harmonious whole and to include coherent features in order to realize a clear and thoughtful character for the product.

At the moment I live in Tallinn, Estonia, for a few months. I'm originally from Holland and I have lived in Berlin, Germany, for eight years. I focused the first years of my career on work in a small German design team, which has contributed to my vision on design and the appreciation of functionalist industrial design. Germany has a rich design history with the Deutsche Werkbund and Bauhaus, with inspiring design values. My experience with Estonia is still fresh. Until now the country is inspiring to me because it is very advanced technologically, but at the same time, it seems that care is taken to preserve the history of the country well.

In general, I work directly with founders and owners of companies that want to create a physical product. I help them by providing design direction and product designs.

Give the designer freedom, search for someone that you can easily communicate with, and look into what the designer has already created in order to get a feel for their capabilities.

In general, my design process consists of four steps: ideation, concept development, detail phase, and creating product renderings. It is important for me to fully understand the vision behind the product, so I will discuss that with my client to begin with. After it is totally clear how the product should help its users, I start sketching, letting my mind freely wander in directions in which I can find new ideas. Sometimes it helps to go somewhere outside of the office for inspiration. When I have a lot of sketches, I begin with a more rational process in which I weigh different options. Then I translate those into more elaborate drawings that I can discuss with my client. After the ideation phase, I proceed with creating a computer aided design model that presents the concept with clearly defined dimensions. In the detail phase, I create the final details, and discuss the product with one or more manufacturers and set the final details. After all is ready for production, I often create photorealistic product renderings that display the product and its materials in a clear way.

All five of my favorite industrial designs are relatively compact, easy to carry and some of them are collapsible. One of them is the Victorinox Cybertool 41 pocket knife in black. It has many great functions, like a wood saw, a bit set, and scissors. The stainless steel Parker jotter is one of my favorites too, which is an elegant classic ballpoint. The Microsoft Surface Go laptop tablet is another favorite. It provides a lot of freedom while working. It reminds me of the Olivetti Valentine typewriter that Ettore Sottsass and Perry A. King designed. At that time it was a lightweight solution that could easily be used in other places than offices. Another favorite design item is the Muji Fibre Tape Measure, that has two sides that allow you to measure and easily read in horizontal or vertical direction. The fifth item is the Sony SRS-XB20 Wireless Speaker, since I really like the form language and textures, and of course the sound it produces.

I like to start my day with physical exercise. After that I take time to read or learn, then I start working at my office and determine my own working hours. I create a schedule for the day and work a lot. Freedom is very important to me. Freedom of schedule helps me perform better than when I'm working at fixed times. Many times, I work until late. After dinner, I usually go back to work to finish some details, but I try to find the right balance in order to spend enough time with my wife, family and friends as well.

Focus on building a portfolio of real products that have been produced. Creating beautiful images and renderings is part of the design profession, but I think it is imperative to create tangible physical products that people love to use.

Positives are that it puts me in a position to collaborate with wonderful driven people that would like to make a change. It is the perfect outlet for my creativity and provides interesting challenges to overcome. Moreover, I feel that as a designer you can learn from everything around you. The world is full of man-made objects that were once designed. A negative is that it is hard not to think about the profession. While traveling or having a break, most likely you are still observing and interacting with all kinds of industrial designs. It is hard to take a break from design, since it is all around you.

Focus on the essence of the product.

Imagination, spatial awareness, and the willingness to learn.

Drawing and computer aided design software, as well as analog tools like a caliper, ruler, and measure tape that I use almost every day. For inspiration, I analyze products and shapes all around me. Taking a walk and traveling give new impressions that can be used as inspiration as well.

When I am totally focused on a design task, I work long hours with full concentration in order to get it done. When I have to focus, I don't use chat systems, my phone is on silent mode, and I don't open my email. It has become second nature to do so, and it helps me speeding up the process a lot. Apart from that, if there is no deadline from the client that I'm working with, I set one myself in order not to stay in the same design phase for too long.

It depends on multiple factors, like the type and complexity of the product that I'm developing, but often between three weeks and three months on average.

The most frequently asked questions is: what kind of products do you like to design? The answer is: sustainable products, everyday carry objects, and luxury items.

My most important job experience was to work in a local design team for multiple clients at the start of my career, since I learned about design in real life as opposed to a focus on theory at the university.

Some clients that I have collaborated with: Designhaus p+m, Panalpina, FireBoard Labs, AquaBliss, and Bergkvist.

The ideation phase, since at that phase there are many opportunities. Multiple exciting design ideas can be explored. During the ideation phase you can think most freely.

To keep working as an industrial designer, and build more meaningful relationships and products with clients.

Until now, I have worked both in a design team and by myself.

It would be interesting, but I work with clients and regard confidentiality as a top priority. I can only tell that I am working on a couple of interesting projects that focus on sustainability and on a durable luxury item.

People can contact me per email at info@ridzert.com. You can also visit the contact page at www.ridzert.com

Thank you for the interview, it has been a pleasure. Have a great day!

The research was centered on finding materials that could be recycled together in one go. Many packagings consist of multiple materials that can't be recycled together and this packaging series had to be better than that. EVA foam is a widely used material in knife packagings. It can protect a product well during transport, but it can also pollute paper waste streams if it is not removed properly from a packaging . When researching which materials could actually be recycled with paper, bagasse came up as a great alternative.

The packaging series is a series for 10 different pocket knives. In order to be coherent, I provided all packagings with the same basis: the same dimensions, the same orientation of text and logos and the same background image . Each packaging also has a stripe pattern, but the stripes are different for each knife. The inspiration for the stripes come from the knives. Each stripe pattern is inspired by elements from the knife that's in the packaging. When you remove the sleeve, you'll find that the stripe pattern is repeated on the black box under the sleeve. You'll likely be slightly surprised by the extra details that were hidden under the sleeve. The strong contrast of the silver, gold, or red stripes on the black background enhances the anticipation of holding and using the new knife.

In order to create a sustainable packaging, it would be logical to design a packaging that is as small as possible and that maybe has a second function like being a sleeve for the knife. However, the insight that you mention made my client and me develop a packaging that is not only logical, but also emotional. We decided to make the packaging slightly larger in order to improve the unboxing experience and to make it more luxurious. In terms of sustainability, we focused on the end-of-life of the packaging by making it suitable for recycling in one go. We also used recycled cardboard and bagasse, which is a by-product of the sugar cane industry.

The main challenge in that regard was to find a solution that could keep the packagings closed during transport and would look good too. Instead of using stickers or magnets, decorative and functional sleeves keep the packagings closed. They keep the drawer boxes from opening until they are removed manually.

It's very kind of you to say that. Having a slightly larger packaging than absolutely necessary helps in increasing the perceived value and therefore making it more luxurious. I balanced this with sustainable qualities by choosing recycled cardboard, bagasse as by-product from another industry and by ensuring that the packaging can be recycled in one go.

Using a paper sleeve is not a completely new idea, but many packagings do have magnets where they do not necessarily add a lot of value to the packaging. When setting up the direction for this packaging series, I decided early that magnets should not be used in order to reduce the amount of materials in the packaging. By discussing the packaging structure with various stakeholders , the solution of using a paper sleeve emerged.

The core values helped with having the focus on sustainability from the start of the packaging development process. Reconnecting with nature and sustainability go hand in hand.

To meet varying preferences, the aim was to make the design unobtrusive. By designing something unobtrusive, the chances increase to make it appeal to a wide range of people. My client and I made sure that packagings adhered to the requirements that needed to be met in all countries it would be sold in.

I see this packaging series as part of a larger trend, since many packagings are evolving in directions that make them more suitable for recycling. Often, fewer types of different materials are used in a packaging than before and packagings are becoming easier to disassemble. It would be great if the Stripe Packaging Series influences people to create sustainable packagings.

My advice would be to start with sustainability in mind. Strive to create a minimal packaging with a low environmental footprint. Think of what would happen with the packaging once it is disposed of. See if you can make the packaging part of a circular economy, for example by using materials that are recycled and that can be recycled again.