Design 1st

One of Design 1st's most successful client Kickstarter launches is happening now — Groove Thing blew past $65K on Day 1!

We helped them engineer a breakthrough product that lets you feel music — a first-of-its-kind innovation in sensory tech.

Big congrats to the Groove Thing team on an incredible launch.

Check out the campaign here.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/groove-thing/the-worlds-first-internal-music-player

Groove Thing | The World's First Internal Music Player Seduce your senses | Music should be felt, not just heard | Lose yourself and be touched by music with Groove Thing.

Design 1st CEO Kevin Bailey explores a critical question in his latest Fast Company piece.

How do you design products that remain viable when trade conditions shift?

Physical product development has always been high-stakes, and adding tariff uncertainty stacked the deck against you even more.

The companies getting this right are doing a few things differently:
- Classifying components by regional availability
- Building multiple sourcing scenarios into their BOMs
- Treating design flexibility as a competitive advantage

The reality is that design decisions made years ago determine which products stay profitable today.

If you're developing physical products, this could save you from costly redesigns down the road.

https://www.fastcompany.com/91340518/how-product-companies-can-smartly-navigate-tariffs-supply-chain-pressure

How product companies can smartly navigate tariffs, supply chain pressure We are seeing a fundamental shift in how smart companies approach product design.

Design 1st, as a Gold Sponsor of the ACIDO The Association of Chartered Industrial Designers of Ontario, 2025 Rocket Awards, is proud to highlight our Sustainability Award winner!

Benjamin Chinn from Carleton University - School of Industrial Design with Hazina, a project that transforms Tanzanian classrooms using found materials for playful, interactive learning. It’s a smart, resourceful approach to education—exactly the kind of thinking we love to see.

We’re all about supporting real-world design that makes a difference. Learn more about Hazina and the 2025 ACIDO Rocket Awards here:

https://design1st.com/press-releases/acido-2025-rocket-awards/

Design 1st Champions Sustainable Design at the 2025 ACIDO Rocket Awards - Design 1st Design 1st Press Release Design 1st Champions Sustainable Design at the 2025 ACIDO Rocket Awards Last updated : As a Gold Sponsor of the 2025 ACIDO Rocket Awards, Design 1st proudly presents the Sustainability Award to Carleton University’s Benjamin Chinn for Hazina, a project that reimagines rura...