HULU Bottle—a bottle for people tired of uniform, faceless everyday objects who want the item to adapt to them, rather than the other way around.
The project was developed as part of the Off&Set thesis for the HSE factory. It is a reusable 800 ml stainless steel bottle shaped like a traditional Chinese gourd, the «hulu guard.» The bottle serves as a blank canvas, leaving the customization to the user. The main feature of the object is its «eight-shaped» form, which includes two volumes and a central cinch. It fits comfortably in the hand, does not slip, and is recognizable from any distance.
Use Case ScenarioIntroduction: The user removes a paper banderole that describes, in three steps, how to use the bottle.Filling: The bottle is filled with water or another beverage through the neck, which has a ribbed lid designed for easy, one-handed opening.
Personalization: The user decorates the bottle using stickers, paracord, and add-ons, making each unit unique.Daily Use: The bottle is taken to university, work, or on a trip, and thanks to the wrist strap, it is easy to hold from either the top or the bottom.
Materials
Body: Food-grade stainless steel [AISI 304, 0.6 mm thickness]. Coating: Matte powder coating (polymer coating), resistant to scratches and repeated washing.
Lid: [Stainless steel or Polypropylene PP], knurled, with threading and a silicone gasket.
Manufacturing Process
The body is produced using metal spinning (rotary drawing): the upper and lower spheres are individually machined on mandrels from sheet steel.
The parts are joined using argon arc [or laser] welding by over-pulling, the seam is cleaned and polished.
The threaded neck is manufactured via turning and welded to the upper sphere.
The body is tested for airtightness, degreased, and painted with powder coating cured in an oven.
The lid is manufactured through turning [or purchased standard and modified] and painted to match the body color.
The banderole is printed on a digital press, die-cut, and manually applied to the bottle.
Cost for a run of 50 unitsOne-time costs:Spinning jigs (top, bottom): [~12,000 RUB]
Welding fixtures and painting hangers: [~3,000 RUB]Total: [~15,000 RUB]Production cost per bottle:Material (304 stainless steel, 0.6 mm):
[~250 RUB]
Two-piece spinner:
[~700 RUB]
Laser welding and seam finishing:
[~500 RUB]
Neck and cap (standard purchased blank with silicone gasket):
[~400 RUB]
Powder coating (full batch in one cycle):
[~300 RUB]
Banderole, stickers, packaging:
[~100 RUB]Total: [~2,250 RUB/unit]
