Produkt Stories: SkyHanger®

THE SKYHANGER® STORY:

Our goal was to develop a garment bag that is very light and highly functional with a clear, puristic design. During the entire development process, the focus was on the best quality in order to exceed the expectations that a customer has of a garment bag.

 

THE SUIT POCKET REINVENTED:

At the end of 2014 we decided to develop a new garment bag. Most of the existing suit pockets were either poorly made, heavy, impractical and or didn\'t look good doing it.

DEVELOPED WITH & BY FREQUENT FLYERS OVER MILLIONS OF AIR MILES:

 

After we got an overview of the existing suit pockets, it was clear to us that only a new approach would lead to a new solution. The focus of the SkyHanger\'s® is on the user himself. In order to develop a completely new garment bag, we have been developing and testing together with frequent flyers from day one. As a result, the SkyHanger was not influenced by competing products but rather by the needs of frequent flyers and our own requirements.

Right at the beginning, when we started designing the first prototypes, it became clear that a suitable coat hanger had to be developed in addition to the suit pocket. This was the only way to meet the requirements and needs of frequent flyers.

 

THE FIRST PROTOTYPES: 

We started with the general shape of the bag. The first prototypes were all \'twice\' foldable. This made the bag manageable and significantly smaller, but the plastic clasps with the cords didn\'t match the puristic design and just looked clumsy.

 

NOW IN "EASY" FOLDABLE DESIGN:

In order to create a puristic and timeless design, we have positioned all pockets on the inside or back of the SkyHanger\'s®. The \'easy\' foldable design made the bag significantly thinner when packed. So we could also get rid of the plastic clasps and cords. Only the exact size was not correct.

 

TESTING IS ABOVE STUDYING:

 

Once we found a classic and timeless design in the right size, we could focus on the materials. We tried everything possible until we found the right material: \'Velocity Nylon\'. We tested and improved the last prototypes together with frequent flyers over a year. The result: Best quality for every component on the SkyHanger®.

 

THE CRUCIAL POINT:

The biggest sticking point in the development of the SkyHanger was to find a functional and practical solution for attaching the coat hanger. We have tried countless variants for this. Here are a few examples:

  • Fixation of the hook outside under the handle
  • Fixations by means of belts in the interior
  • Fixing the hook on the handle, development of a hook as a handle
  • Fixation of the hanger on the inside with special inside pockets

 

ONCE YOU FOUND IT IT SEEMS SO SIMPLE:

After all these attempts, we were no closer to the solution. We were so obsessed with finding the perfect solution that we couldn\'t see the forest for the trees.

Often the simplest solution is the best solution. A reinforced opening for the hanger hook at the top edge - to which the hook attaches by turning sideways. So the hanger (suit) is perfectly fixed in/on the case and the suit or costume literally hangs in the case, just like it is in the closet at home. This avoids wrinkles caused by transport. To hang it up in the airplane locker or in the wardrobe, simply pull the hook further out. It\'s that easy.

 

LIGHT TRAVEL REDEFINED:

In the end we paid a lot of attention to the smaller components. To \'close\' the SkyHanger® when folded, we attached snaps to avoid plastic buckles and to underline the puristic design. After trying out all possible types of snaps and positions on the SkyHanger, we decided on four snaps from an American manufacturer. For the zippers we chose high-end nylon zippers because they are extremely light and also \'run\' very easily. The handles are filled and are very comfortable in the hand: a pleasure to carry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Written by Frank Degeler

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