Why Sun Sand Sea

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I have always had a deep love for swimming, and throughout my childhood, I never missed an opportunity to visit the beach. The mesmerizing blue water had a magical effect on me, and I could spend hours swimming without feeling tired or breathless. From the Caribbean's Turk and Caicos to the Maldives, I dreamed of spending my vacations on beautiful islands. I would convince my parents to accompany me, even if they weren't particularly thrilled about water-related activities. The combination of the warm sand beneath my feet and the refreshing blue water filled me with intense energy and pleasure. After my swimming sessions, I would take leisurely walks along the beach, feeling elated and free from all worries. During these trips, I made sure to spend the majority of my time either in the water or on the beach, choosing resorts situated right by the shore. Every morning, after having my coffee, I would gather my essential items for the beach in a backpack. Along with a large Terry towel provided by the resort, I would pack my cell phone, swimming goggles, swimming cap, sunscreen, and keys to the beach. Placing the towel on the sand, I would enjoy my swim. However, as I dried my body with the towel, I would notice sand particles sticking to the fabric, especially since Terry towels tend to retain sand. I faced two options: using a sandy towel or rinsing it with water. Unfortunately, rinsing the towel made it heavier and more cumbersome to carry around. To reduce the weight, I had to spend a significant amount of time drying the towel. Considering all the consequences, I would often choose to carry the sandy towel, but that resulted in frustration as the sand would cover all my belongings in the bag. Moreover, the exterior of the bag would also attract sand particles, creating another problem. The bulky towel would occupy 80% of the bag's space, leaving little room for other items. Carrying all these things made me feel uncomfortable, as I was never sure if I had everything with me, since they were all buried beneath the large towel. Whenever I reached into the bag, I would blindly search for what I needed, often having to turn the entire bag upside down to find it. Since everything for the trip was prepaid, I didn't have to carry cash, and my wallet was safely stored in the room's safe deposit locker. I also didn't need to bring food since beachside restaurants were conveniently located, and I didn't have to change my swimming trunks as my room was close to the beach. However, back home in Long Island, I faced the challenge of carrying my wallet, beach snacks, wet swimming trunks, and other necessary gear while spending a day at the beach on the weekends.

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Based on these observations, my team and I began designing a bag that would eliminate these small problems and allow for a more enjoyable experience focused on what you love most: the water and the beach. We identified four key problems to solve: removing sand from the bag's exterior, organizing all belongings for easy access, creating sufficient space for beach essentials, and preventing sand from entering the bag's interior. Initially, we explored expensive fabrics that could address these issues, consulting with textile engineers, but found them to be impractical. Eventually, we discovered the "Turkish Peshtemal Towel" through our research, which offered the desired qualities of repelling sand, drying quickly, and being lightweight. We conducted experiments with the peshtemal towel, testing its sand-repelling and drying capabilities, as well as comparing its weight and space efficiency to traditional Terry towels. We realized that the solution was already available and didn't require reinventing the wheel. 

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To address problem (1), we lined the bag's outer body with Peshtemal towel material, ensuring no sand would cling to it. For problem (2), we designed five transparent zippered pockets, allowing for instant visibility of all items when opening the bag. These pockets are strategically organized: pocket 1 for the cell phone, pocket 2 for the wallet, pocket 3 for sunscreen, pocket 4 for swimming gear, and pocket 5, a larger pocket, to store wet swimwear at the end of the day. The pockets offer ample space for everything you need at the beach, including books, food items, and toys for children. Problem (4) is solved by including an organic, hand-made Peshtemal towel inside the bag, ensuring that no sand gets inside. These towels are lightweight, occupy minimal space, and dry rapidly. Additionally, we have added an umbrella sleeve to protect you from the sun and an insulated bottle container for enjoying cold drinks on the beach. With this specially designed bag, going to the beach will become effortless and more enjoyable. So, what are you waiting for? I'll see you at the beach!