Bronze Outdoor Gear and Camping Equipment Design · 2022
Emmett Outdoor Folding Chair
by True Places
- A' Design Award 2022 Bronze Winner in Outdoor Gear and Camping Equipment Design
- Awarded April 15, 2022
- CLIENT: True Places
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 38,691
- Verification code DA14C644A8 · Verify this award
About Emmett Outdoor Folding Chair
Emmett is an outdoor folding chair made for portable use. The frame is built from 6000 series aluminum, and the seat uses a custom outdoor fabric of polyester and nylon. The folding design reduces sagging and pinching while still allowing a compact folded size. The chair opens in one motion until the arms lock to form a taut seat, and buttons on the armrests release the arms for folding. Bottle openers are placed under both arms, and bag hooks and wide feet are included. A recycled polyester bag allows the chair to be carried over the shoulder.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The portable chair reimagined for the modern outdoors. Remarkable comfort, lightweight portability and thoughtful features combine to create an innovative outdoor folding chair reflecting the way people live today. New patent-pending folding design eliminates sagging and pinching from the seat while still folding compactly. Custom TrueFlexTM outdoor fabric and aerospace-grade aluminum frame. Accessories for right or left, bottle-openers under both arms, bag hooks and large feet for stability.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Folded dimensions: 229mm(w) x 203mm(d) x 914mm(h)
Ready to sit dimensions: 610mm(w) x 508mm(d) x 914mm(h) - Tags
- Outdoor, furniture, chair, portable, comfort, lightweight
- Production Technology
- Aluminum 6000 series
TrueFlexTM fabric (polyester, nylon)
Glass-filled nylon components
Recycled polyester (carrying bag) - Design Challenge
- There has historically been significant tension between comfort and portability in outdoor furniture design. Creating a piece of furniture that includes a comfortable, taut seat while still also folding compactly was a difficult design and engineering challenge. Furthermore, portable outdoor chair development in recent decades has focused on cutting costs at the expense of quality. Creating real portable comfort that can be affordably produced at scale was also a considerable challenge.
- Project Duration
- The project started in August 2019 in Philadelphia and New York City and was completed in July 2021 in Shanghai.
- Operation Flow
- The Emmett features a new folding design: the chair can be folded out in one motion until the arms lock to create a remarkably comfortable, taut seat. The chair is easily folded by unlocking the arms using the armrest buttons and folding the arms upward and inward to a compact folded position. The chair can then be stowed in the custom designed sustainable carrying bag. Each chair can be carried over the shoulder or two chairs can be connected to be carried backpack-style.
- Research
- Extensive qualitative and quantitative research across hundreds of consumers informed the design of the Emmett. The research identified significant dissatisfaction with current outdoor portable chair options, particularly in terms of comfort and design. With more people spending quality time with family and friends outdoors, the Emmett fills an important need for well-designed comfort for the modern outdoors.
- Inspiration
- The modern outdoors - relaxing with neighbors, concerts in the park, watching children playing sports - is meaningful time with family and friends, but is often not matched by the quality of products people use. Why are portable chairs so uncomfortable, and comfortable chairs immovable? True Places began by asking "What if beautifully-designed and comfortable outdoor furniture can also be portable? What if modern design and engineering can create a folding chair of quality that matches the rest of people’s lives?"
- Image Credits
- True Places, Inc.
- Patents
- Patent pending 63032869