Environmental Products of Design 3100
Fall 2024
A nature activity booklet and integrated flower press designed to encourage children to explore, collect, and learn from the natural world.
A Group Project Built Together
We were assigned to groups of three and challenged to design and produce a market-ready product from start to finish.
Sarah Fitzpatrick
Ginny Wilson
Kara Danford
Learning to collaborate, share ideas, and build on each other’s strengths was at the heart of the process.
01
Problem & Concept
Problem:
Encouraging outdoor exploration in a generation increasingly disconnected from nature while demonstrating how waste materials can be transformed into meaningful products.
Concept:
An activity booklet paired with a flower press that guides children through seasonal activities, ecological learning, and plant collection while showcasing circular design principles
02
Design Development
Working collaboratively, we refined Play & Press through sketches, mockups, and prototype testing.
03
Prototyping & Refinement
Multiple iterations refined the flower press mechanism, educational content, user experience, and overall form.
04
Production For Market
Play & Press moved beyond a prototype into a small production run. Each unit was hand-assembled using diverted materials, and the accompanying activity booklet was written and illustrated by our team. Play & Press moved beyond a prototype into a small production run. Each unit was hand-assembled using diverted materials, and the accompanying activity booklet was written and illustrated by our team.
05
Materiality
Recycled Chipboard
Forms the durable outer cover, giving structure to the product while extending the life of diverted materials.
Recycled Paper
Used throughout the activity booklet and pressing layers, providing a low-impact surface for learning, collecting, and creativity.
Thrifted Fabric
Secondhand fabric was given new life through natural plant dyeing, where leaves and flowers were hammered directly into the material to create one-of-a-kind botanical patterns.
06
Final Photography
The Activity Booklet
EPOP Shop
EPOP is a studio course at CU Boulder where product design students transform diverted materials into market-ready products. Working in teams of three, students design, manufacture, brand, and sell their work through a student-run retail experience that combines sustainability, creativity, and entrepreneurship.
Our team’s product, Play & Press, sold out during the event. One of the most rewarding moments was hearing a young girl ask for the product for her birthday, reinforcing the value of creating meaningful experiences through design.