Suntini
Designing portable head and neck support for more comfortable outdoor lounging
outdoor lounging
Suntini was developed to improve comfort in one of the most overlooked parts of the outdoor leisure experience: lying face down on a sunbed, chaise lounge, or poolside chair for extended periods of time.
Traditional lounging setups are built for sitting back or lying flat, but they do very little to support users who want to rest on their stomach comfortably while reading, relaxing, sunbathing, or simply changing posture. The opportunity behind Suntini was to create a portable product that adds ergonomic support in a setting where comfort is usually compromised.
The opportunity
For brands in the outdoor, beach, resort, and leisure categories, comfort-focused accessories can create real differentiation. Suntini was conceived as a lightweight, portable headrest system that gives users a more enjoyable way to relax outdoors without needing bulky furniture modifications or permanent attachments.
The product was designed to fit naturally into premium leisure environments while also being practical enough for personal use at the beach, pool, or on vacation. The goal was not just to create a headrest, but to deliver a more thoughtful lounging experience through a compact and transportable product.
The challenge
The core challenge was balancing comfort, stability, portability, and adjustability in a very simple structure.
The product needed to elevate and support the head in a way that felt natural and relaxing, while remaining stable on a range of surfaces such as loungers, tanning beds, or other outdoor seating arrangements. At the same time, it had to be easy to carry, visually clean, and compact enough to feel like a realistic consumer product rather than a clunky piece of equipment.
Another important challenge was visual positioning. Because the function is highly ergonomic, there was a risk that the product could feel overly medical or utilitarian. The design needed to communicate comfort and leisure, not therapy equipment.
Our approach
The concept was developed around a straightforward architecture: a supportive headrest connected to a vertical post and anchored by a stable base platform. This approach allowed the product to remain structurally simple while still delivering the adjustability needed for different users and lounging setups.
Height adjustability became a central feature early in development. Rather than forcing a fixed position, the product was designed to adapt to the user and to the seating condition, helping create a more personalized and comfortable posture.
The geometry and overall form language were kept clean and minimal to align with premium outdoor environments. The goal was to make the product feel light, modern, and intentional, with an appearance that could sit naturally beside high-end leisure furniture and hospitality settings.
Portability also shaped the product direction from the start. Suntini was envisioned as something users could take with them, rather than something tied to a single piece of furniture. That made footprint, transportability, and setup simplicity important parts of the design process.
Key design moves
The product was built around a compact, single-post architecture to keep the structure clean and easy to understand.
An adjustable height system allowed the support position to be tuned for different body types and lounging surfaces.
A base platform helped create a stable foundation without requiring complicated attachments or modifications to existing furniture.
The headrest was designed to support a face-down resting position more comfortably, helping reduce the awkward neck posture that often comes with lying on the stomach outdoors.
The overall visual language was kept minimal and refined so the product felt aligned with leisure and hospitality use, not clinical equipment.
Outcome
Suntini resulted in a portable comfort accessory concept that rethinks how users relax outdoors. By combining ergonomic support, adjustability, and a clean product identity, the concept opens the door to a differentiated offering for outdoor lifestyle, poolside, beach, and resort-focused brands.
The project demonstrates how a simple product can create meaningful value when it solves a specific physical discomfort in a thoughtful and visually appealing way.
Services provided: Product strategy, industrial design, ergonomic concept development, mechanical design direction, CAD development, visualization, prototype direction