Save the Kiwi
Using the value of New Zealand design to leave a legacy of healthy kiwis for future generations
Project Information
Client Save the Kiwi
Industry Consumer Products, Environmental Innovation
Services New Product Development
Key Outcomes
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Overview
Saving the kiwi is of national significance. Despite its importance, the kiwi population remains fragile.
We sought to leverage the value of New Zealand design to create a meaningful impact for our national bird and protect the source of our shared identity. Our vision was to harness people’s interest in encountering kiwis and turn it into a positive, revenue-generating model to fund kiwi protection efforts. This initiative aligns with our core values of Tiakitanga, ensuring that we leave a lasting legacy for future generations.
100% of the profits generated through the sale of these items transfer to Save the Kiwi Trust, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting our taonga.
Frame
The brief was simple and powerful: create an authentic piece of New Zealand design akin to an Olympic torch, uniting the mission to save the kiwi. This product would be something visitors and locals alike could purchase, with proceeds supporting widespread grassroots efforts for kiwi conservation.
Many New Zealanders have never seen a kiwi in the wild, and most of the 3.7 million international visitors to Aotearoa each year come here hoping to encounter one. Whether they see one or not, many buy mementos. The idea of having your own kiwi is hard to resist, particularly for kids. The popularity and annual sales of kiwi-themed souvenirs like plush kiwi toys are substantial, yet their environmental impact is significant.
Most plush toys are non-biodegradable, ending up in landfills where they can take hundreds of years to decompose. Additionally, almost all plush toys are difficult to recycle due to their mixed materials. Many of these plush toys are imported and manufactured in developing countries where labor practices may not always be ethical, contributing to social sustainability issues.
We wanted to harness people’s interest in encountering kiwis and turn it into a positive, self-sustaining, revenue-generating mechanism to fund kiwi protection efforts.
Our Approach
Like wool, kiwi feathers are soft to the touch, yet their legs and talons are strong and tough. They also have an unusual beak and a very curious personality. The real art of the product design process was balancing these unique attributes in a fun, clean, and fresh way without being too cartoonish or overly realistic. We wanted to eliminate stitching (the primary reason existing products are made in the developing world) and internal stuffing, setting these apart from the cheap and kitsch.
Our final designs resulted in two distinctive collectables that symbolise our national icon and celebrate the best of New Zealand design, Lucky™ and her adorable Chick™. We named the mother Lucky™ because any bird that survives long enough to raise a chick is truly fortunate!
Their progressive form embodies the unfolding fern fonds of the koru, symbolising new life, growth, strength, and peace. This circle of life spiral is represented within the interlocking 2D to 3D patterning and subtle tab design, which when assembled, visually suggests that through space and time we can increase kiwi numbers.
Each individual panel is made from sustainable New Zealand wool, delivering a clean and vibrant visual aesthetic, rich tactility, and strong environmental credentials. As a nation, we produce some of the best wool in the world. Taking this into account along side our use of FSC-certified New Zealand timber, we can honestly say Lucky™ and Chick™ are truly representative of our nation.
Lifecycle analysis estimates these objects have an environmental footprint of 1.1 kg of CO2 per item, compared to 5.3 kg CO2 per item for standard synthetic plush toys.
Unlike existing products, these items are 100% natural, biodegradable, recyclable, and fully renewable – upholding our values of Tiakitanga.
Outcome
100% of the profits generated through the sale of these items transfer to Save the Kiwi Trust, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting our taonga. Each year, the money made will be distributed as a donation to help fight this crisis. We have also gifted the rights to these designs to serve this purpose in perpetuity.
Lucky™ and Chick™ are available for purchase online and at all good design stores and gift shops. We are also in stocking discussions with several leading international zoos and wildlife centres.
The goal is to get 1% of all visitors to Aotearoa each year (and locals) to purchase one of these items, raising funds to double the wild kiwi population over the next decade - which will be remarkable!
