Where it all started.
In 2018, fate brought Industrial Designer Andrew Simpson (Founder and director of Vert Design Studio) to Michael Lowitt’s doorstep to connect over an attachable handle solution. Michael had discovered an attachable handle many years prior, while gardening in America. This chance meeting evolved into a friendship and a promising business partnership.
Michael shared Andrew’s passion for repurposing plastics, who had been actively exploring ways to recycle helmets, particularly in the construction industry. This sector faces an abundance of expired hard hats with industry standards requiring replacement every three years for safety reasons. Twenty years prior, Michael had discovered a handle solution that alleviated his back pain whilst digging holes.
Back-Up is the weaving of two projects - a shared mission to create an improved handle design that makes shoveling more effortless and prevents injury, while harnessing the untapped potential of discarded plastics from hard hats that would otherwise end up in landfill.
Back-up have harnessed a durable building material, renowned for its strength, rigidity and protective qualities and used it to create a handle. This handle excels in function and is designed to optimise efficiency, decrease the risks of injury and offer easy adjustability.
Meet our friends at Vert Design Studio.
Learn about the design process of our shovel handles below.
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Vert Design is a Sydney-based Industrial and Product Design studio led by Industrial Designer Andrew Simpson. Founded in 2005, the studio operates as a testing ground for new concepts and self-initiated experimentation, as well as offering design concepts, modeling, prototyping and manufacturing to clients from niche boutique brands, to multinational organisations. This approach at the process edge of making has led to innovations and technological advancements, such as the sustainable reuse of materials, all of which inform Vert’s product design output.
The Design Process.
We embarked on our project by conceptualising a range of ideas to explore various handle designs and attachment methods for shovels. After selecting a specific direction, we progressed to the testing phase using 3D printed prototypes. Our primary objective was to evaluate factors such as form, size, and design details, with a keen focus on determining the optimal hand angle to reduce strain and the risk of injuries, especially back pain. Throughout the testing phase, we assessed our handle design under varying load conditions, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the ease of carrying heavier materials while minimising physical strain. Our iterative process allowed us to fine-tune elements like material thickness, grip design, and handle angle, aligning them with ergonomic best practices.
We designed the handle to seamlessly integrate with standard hose clamps, which can be effortlessly fastened onto various diameters. This adaptability makes them suitable for a wide range of tools, including shovels, brooms, and garden equipment. Our design philosophy prioritised simplicity for ease of manufacturing.
“The design can be personalised, is easily adjustable and offers improved efficiency for prolonged repeated tasks.”
- Nicola Michell, Principal Physiotherapist at City Physio
