IHA speaks with Gary Ross, founder of California-based Highwave. Inspired by the ocean near his home, Gary invented the company’s beverage carriers for humans and pets. Highwave will present its latest innovative products in Discover Design N8202 at the 2017 International Home + Housewares Show in Discover Design.

Gary, tell us about how your company began.  
Highwave, founded in 1983, was inspired by the beautiful, ever-changing ocean waves that moved us to create our “fluid designs”—vessels for fluids such as coffee, tea, wine, beer, spirits and water.

From the beginning, when working in stoneware and porcelain, then stainless, followed by insulated double wall borosilicate glass, we developed unique designs that became tools for travel to last a lifetime and which are considerate to the environment. Forty patents and many firsts are a part of Highwave’s history – a result of the ongoing coffee revolution.  The first Travel Mug with a drink-through top; first 360-degree drink top; the only drink press with no sediment and full shutoff with full infusion (Brewfish); the only one handed Travel Mug for a Dog and the original and patented design to aerate and preserve wine (Float2). Time Capsule – the very first vacuum bottle for a full bottle of wine, is a Highwave innovation.  The elevated Dog Food Lagoon keeps uninvited ants away and the Grate Grind mortar and pestle that out performs all others.  We only offer new unique designs or ones that that have proven themselves over time and remain in our line.   Some designs we have been selling for three decades and some of those still undiscovered such as the WillChill collapsible wine ice bucket.  

Was there a pivotal event or product that propelled the early success of your business?
In the 1980’s we developed our first splash-resistant travel mug called the Hotjo. The Hotjo was the pioneer for travel and the way for all our new travel systems we make today.

Are there any specific designers, places or eras that influence you?  
The natural world is beautiful and perfect; man is arguably the top dog of the animal kingdom, the only one that creates aside from beavers, birds and bees. We can see amazing works of fine art, design, architecture that is inspirational – but the natural world ultimately wins the global design award.

How do you choose which idea to take to product development?
We consider and then develop many ideas at once; some, like our wave energy developments are two decades and counting. Only the best are picked and introduced when ready. Some ideas can take years and others in days with our latest 3D printer.

How do you identify the key user audience for your products?
First, we discover a simple or even universal problem and consider solutions.  When we have an elegant solution that will satisfy enough people (or some dogs!), we go for a minimum run and roll the dice. Our designs typically satisfy a problem or need which we have experienced and we enjoy the fun of finding a better way. The goal is to find the best way and most of the time it ends up being very simple and very obvious.  

How do new technologies influence your product design?  Do you use 3-D printing, Kickstarter or other platforms to develop or launch products?  
We love to use 3D printing; it has now replaced most modeling in plaster, latex rubber and clay, but not 100%.  All media is fair game including traditional methods used in our product development process. We have a friend who will destroy anything, and we make sure he has a sample to abuse, before we go any further. Our friends, family and colleagues assist with new designs and prototypes, go day-to-day testing with associates and a daughter, none of whom are afraid to let us know what they really think. 

How do you use social media?
It is truly amazing and offers huge opportunities for communication which never existed. We hope to always be better and we will…we hope. We are adding new content to all our social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The AutoDogMug video went viral, with over 20 million views, and on the Today Show was one of only a few items selected from last year’s IHA Show – so we think we have a good start, but realize we still need to improve on our social media. Every Highwave catalog has featured the founder’s kids – this year meet the talented engineer and surfer, Griffin, who appears on our packaging. Shannon is a student at an Oregon college and cannot attend, but she designed a product and is pictured in the catalog.  

Where are your products manufactured?
We manufacture our goods in ethical factories overseas and also here in the U.S. We have always made anything here in the U.S. as our first choice and will continue this. There are only two places in the world for mouth-blown double wall glass and the U.S. is not one of the two places.

Can you give us a preview of what you will be showing in your booth in Discover Design?
The AutoDogMug PURE includes a filter which removes 99.99% of all bacteria and viruses. The Pure is the first purification vessel for a dog and allows the dog owner to use water from ponds or lakes, which may have poor water quality. The Rapid Pure system uses the same filter for humans and now for dogs’ health.

Yolid is our new lid for your coffee shop visit.  The food-safe silicone lid fits on most all paper coffee cups to help eliminate the millions of plastic lids going to land fill and into oceans every day. Yolid has a rotating strap for a leak-tight seal even with a knockdown.

The ROAM is our new 17 oz./500 ml slim addition to our JOEmo line. With a leak-tight, easy-grip rubber top, the full vacuum vessel is always ready for your next adventure. The intuitive no-look push button and 360 drinking allows you to take a sip without demanding attention.

Thank you, Gary, for this background on your company and your latest products. We look forward to seeing your assortment in Discover Design N8202.

See more about Highwave at www.highwave.com.

Discover Design is the premier destination at the International Home + Housewares Show for trend spotters who make design their priority. Retailers looking for the unique will find early 200 design leaders at Discover Design located at the front of the North Building.

Anchored by renowned brands such as Alessi, Blomus and Charles Viancin, Discover Design welcomes new exhibitors, such as notNeutral, Luckies of London, and S’well Bottle, and introduces 10 emerging companies at the Design Debut incubator. Additional fresh offerings from veteran design-focused exhibitors such as Kikkerland, Zoku and Magisso will also inspire your choices for the coming year. Find more information on Discover Design exhibitors online.