Please pledge and vote for Band-it on VOOM:

 vmbvoom.com/pitches/band-it 

Band-it will be in with a chance of winning £50000, a business pitch to Richard Branson, and some other prizes! Thanks again!

Introducing Band-it

Band-it was developed alongside people who are visually impaired to make it easier to identify different products in the home through touch and sight. 

They are tactile, brightly coloured bands to put around other products such as tins or jars. As most people who are visually impaired still have some sight, using colour can help with quickly identifying objects. And those who have no sight can still use touch to identify products using these bands. Even those who have 20/20 vision can still use Band-it to mark items in their home in a more sensory way than just a sharpie and a label! This could also be used by people who want a little extra grip on a jar to hold onto.

We're based in Falmouth, Cornwall, and we believe that products that provide independence and access to a good quality of life are a necessity. Band-it is the first in what we hope is the beginning of a range of products that help to improve people's quality of life.

Band-it in use around a tin can and medicine packet.

What do other people say?

Carol Woodman, Visually Impaired Person 

“Absolutely wonderful! I’m registered blind and if I’d had things like these 9 years ago things would have been a lot easier. The different shaped ones are brilliant, the colours are so helpful and I can see them all. You could use these on anything!”

Sue Harold, Visually Impaired Person 

“I am hoping that these products will save me from doing my biggest mistake. I sprayed my beautiful dining room table with Oven cleaner instead of polish. A very costly mistake!”

Design Features

Reusable

Band-it can be used repeatedly on the same items as they are replaced in your home: no need to buy a new set each time, saving you money and reducing your contribution to landfill.

Tactile

If you have no sight then the tactile surfaces provide a way to feel how the bands are different. These are simple shapes that are easily recognisable.

Brightly coloured

This means they are usable regardless of what level of visual impairment, if any, you have. Most people can still see yellow close up even if you are registered blind. Bright colours help with identifying different objects more easily if you have some sight remaining.

Flexibility

Both in material and in function. You might want three different ones to use on your bathroom products. Or you might want five different ones to differentiate your baking ingredients, or five of the same to use on your tins of tomato soup. It really is up to you. And the bands act like elastic to adjust to different sized objects.

The Indented Line

As shown below, there is an indented line on each of the bands which is different to the shapes around the edge. This is so that the bands can help you identify which way around an object is facing, for example on a spray can this gives you confidence that you are using it the correct way around.

Band-it in use on a spray can, with the indented line indicating which side is the front.

Technical Information

There are 5 different Band-its that will be manufactured. They are made from silicone, and act like an elastic band in stretchiness. They can be used around objects with a diameter of 5-8.3cm, or circumference 153-210mm. If you want to use it on something smaller, it can be wrapped around twice, as shown on the remote control below.

The product can be wrapped round an object twice if it is smaller in diameter than the band.

What will the money go towards?

Getting the first batch of products made to sell is expensive because of the costs of getting the tooling made - the mould that the bands are made from. This is the cost I am raising funds towards. Anything raised above the initial target will go towards the costs of manufacture. 5% plus VAT of funds raised goes towards Crowdfunder, and there are costs associated with card payments as well.

Is the design protected?

The designs are protected by community design rights and the name Band-it is protected by a UK trademark.

Project Timeline

If the Crowdfunder Campaign is successful, this is a rough timeline of what will happen:

• Funds transferred from Crowdfunder (1 week)
• Tooling made (3-4 weeks)
• Sample production, delivery and approval (3-4 weeks)
• First line of products manufactured (3-4 weeks)
• Importing (1 week)
• Packing and Distribution (1 week)

They will be manufactured in China and imported to the UK, where they will be packed and distributed. This means the products could be delivered as early as mid-July, but it is possible that there could be hold ups and so the estimated delivery date has been set as mid-September to allow for this. I will keep backers informed of any changes to the above timeline as the project progresses.

About the designer

My name is Hannah Scoones and I'm a graduate of BA Sustainable Product Design at Falmouth University. I developed this product over my final year at university, working with individuals who are visually impaired. I specialised in inclusive design, which is designing products that are accessible by as many people as possible, and this is something that I am passionate about. This product has had positive feedback from the people I have worked with and so I want to make the concept a reality that can improve people's lives.

How can I support this?

Reward 1: Pledge to get your hands on the first sets of Band-its if the Crowdfunder is successful.

£5 1 set of 2 bands

£10 1 set of 5 bands

£18 2 sets of 5 bands

£27 3 sets of 5 bands

£35 4 sets of 5 bands

£42 5 sets of 5 bands

£75 10 sets of 5 bands

£100 15 sets of 5 bands

£125 20 sets of 5 bands

£250 50 sets of 5 bands

£500 100 sets of 5 bands

Please see additional postage costs below for Europe or Worldwide. Postage is FREE for UK (exc Channel Islands and EIRE) and Internationally if you qualify for free postage for Articles for the Blind.

Reward 2: Massive thanks and your name on the website

If you don’t want any Band-its but want to support the project, you can pledge:

£5

£10

£20

£50

If you pledge £20 or £50 I will also send you a personalised, handwritten thankyou card. 

Reward 3: Limited edition framed, prototype Band-its or protoype mould

For your own tactile slice of the Band-it story, you can have a selection of the many different designs that Band-it went through before reaching this stage. The moulds are milled resin board, and the prototypes are transparent silicone bands. Each is a one off object. For more details on this and to choose which bands or mould you would like in advance of pledging, please send me a message (top right of the page). 

Prototype bands: 6 framed sets available

£100

Prototype moulds: 4 framed sets available

£200

Postage Costs

Articles for the Blind, International Shipping - FREE To see if you qualify, please visit http://www.royalmail.com/personal/uk-delivery/articles-for-the-blind

UK (exc Channel Islands and Republic of Ireland) Shipping - FREE

If the above do not apply, please add the below rates to your pledge. The option to pledge on top of the selected reward will become available to you as you make your payment.

Europe

Belgium, EIRE, Luxemburg, Netherlands - £28

Channel Islands, France, Germany - £32

Austria, Italy, Portugal, Spain - £42

Denmark, Finland, Sweden - £48

Andora, Bulgaria, Gibraltar, Hungary, Latvia, Lichenstein, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland - £52

Croatia - £58

Worldwide

USA - £55

Australia - £70

For other countries please send me a message (top right of the page).

Thankyou!

Please pledge and vote for Band-it on VOOM:

 vmbvoom.com/pitches/band-it 

Band-it will be in with a chance of winning £50000, a business pitch to Richard Branson, and some other prizes! Thanks again!

_{Disclaimer: Band-it Products Ltd does not accept any liability for how the product is used, or for any injuries that may occur as a result of using this product, whether directly or indirectly. It is the user's responsibility to ensure that it is used safely at all times, and Band-it Products Ltd take no responsibility if anything is falsely identified or used wrongly as a result of using this product.} 

_{Band-it Products Ltd Company Number 0959122 registered in England and Wales.}