As a brand with a mission, BlackstarBikes Amsterdam entered the market with a set of male and female model bamboo-based design bicycles.
Their goal: providing jobs and income by fair trade with the local bamboo frame producers in Ghana, Africa
by offering unique design bicycles to consumers in Western countries. Partnering with a local social workshop in Amsterdam for the assembly of frames with industry standard quality parts enforcing their social mission.
While the natural frame material is an immediate visual link to the emerging environmental sustainability design trend, there had not been focus on the quantification of environmental impact of the products yet.
In the start-up phase of the company, and the background of its founders, most work had been invested in 3 of their 4 P's above, leaving an opportunity to work on this last P of Planet during a NPD (new product development) proces executed.
To guarantee not only a new product with relative low environmental impact but also a good economic proposition to ensure profit for the startup company, the relative new DfS (Design for Sustainability) method based on the 'Eco-cost Value Ratio' was adapted.
This method focusses on the goal of eco-efficient value creation by not only comparing design concepts/choices on their environmental impacts (calculated in numbers by LCA analyse), but also on the value of each concept.
The goal : avoid the risk of ending up with a 'green' product that either in under-valued by the intended target audience based on their needs and wishes (i.e. aesthetics, looks, comfort, convience),
or a value gap between the minimal profitable retail price and the average maximum price the target audience accepts for the product.
Market and company analysis steered in the direction of a new balance bicycle for young children to stay close to the current brand product portfolio of bamboo bicycles.
Consumer and retailer interviews let to a good insight in most import value aspect in this product category from these most important stakeholders.
Consumer and retailer interviews let to a good insight in most import value aspect in this product category from these most important stakeholders.
While during ideation and concept iteration loops, designs where sketched and quick simple LCA assesments where made to compare the environmental impacts of each solution / design.
The final product is a bamboo-based balance bike with reversible frame configuration with a premium design look in line with BlackstarBikes adult bikes.
Value comes not only from the premium (eco-)trendy aesthetics, but also from the longer use-lifetime of the product as it can be used for an extended period of growing op toddlers by its convertibilty.
A hand-built final prototype was made on 1:1 scale to provide a perfect product for user-testing. During these test surveys where conducted with parent of young children and bicycle retailers to validate the accepted retail price target from initial research phase.
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