‘swirl’ being used as a ball, while washing clothes through its rotations

in developing countries, the simple act of doing laundry requires a lot of effort. major problems are distant water supply areas and bad ergonomics for washing and the burden of transporting heavy loads to and from the water source.

‘swirl’ designed by designaffairs studio, focuses on simplifying this task. the overall design resembles a ball containing a swirled sphere shaped basket and lid, connected to a steel tube handle. through a simple interface, laundry becomes easier and faster, accomplished through the rotation of the ‘washing ball’, using the long distance travel to and from water supplies to wash the clothes. the embossed pattern surface structure  helps result in a more efficient and thorough cleaning of clothes achieved by rolling ‘swirl’ back and forth in slow rotations, or using its spherical shape for play.

at home, with the lid off, it acts as a clothes basket. once full, the lid should be screwed on and the handle locked in. transportation can easily be done by pulling or pushing the handle. once arriving at the water source, the basket should be filled with water and garments are then ready to wash.

this product aims to enhance a social cultural relationship between women and children, making washing a fun and easy experience. the spherical design allows it to become a whimsical object which stimulates the user’s imagination on how to play with it, making laundry easier and more fun with a few easy steps. when it is not being used as a clothes washer, ‘swirl’ functions as a water barrel.

'swirl' by designaffairs studio it functions as a laundry basket, clothes washer and water barrel

'swirl' by designaffairs studio

'swirl' by designaffairs studio how it works

'swirl' by designaffairs studio the various components