SHE Hug
An anxiety-reducing vest system for dogs, where emotional design meets modular care. A design sprint concept for Sustainable Health Enterprises.
The executive deck translated research, concept, and campaign into a cohesive product story — communicating system logic, use cases, and design intent clearly to the CEO and leadership team.
A happy dog makes for a happy owner.
Graphic & Experience Designer
Wellness Design Sprint
Project Overview
The Brief
Challenge → Action → Result
Challenge: Identify an emerging market opportunity within the conscious pet owner space and translate it into a compelling, brand-aligned product concept.
Action: Conducted field research and stakeholder interviews to surface unmet needs, then developed a campaign concept rooted in SHE's proprietary material innovation.
Result: Delivered executive-ready presentations to the CEO, articulating product vision, system logic, and design intent with clarity and confidence.
Role & Scope
Led a team of three through end-to-end execution, from initial brief to final executive delivery. Collaborated directly with the Marketing Director, Project Manager, and CEO.
  • User research & field interviews
  • Concept development & ideation
  • Exploratory product renders
  • Executive presentation & product storytelling
The Problem
Dogs experiencing anxiety in unfamiliar or stressful environments often rely on improvised or single-purpose products. Existing solutions address isolated symptoms, not the broader experience of reassurance, routine, and owner usability. There was a clear gap between emotional comfort and practical, everyday care.
Core Insight
Dogs don't need more stuff, they need connection, calm, and closeness.
The SHE Hug vest is not a product. It's a facilitator of emotional alignment between human and pet, a shared grounding layer that helps both owner and dog feel more in sync, moment to moment.
Research Phase
Themes & Research
Research themes were anchored in sustainability, natural living, and ecological responsibility, values shared by the conscious pet owner demographic. These themes directly informed the SHE brand positioning and material direction.
Ethical Consumerism
Sustainability
Conscious Consuming
Materials Innovation
Sustainable Material Exploration
An extensive materials audit explored natural, renewable, and biodegradable options to identify candidates that balanced comfort, durability, and ecological footprint.
1
2
3
1
Banana Fiber
Strong, biodegradable, and scalable — SHE's proprietary material focus.
2
Bamboo
Soft, breathable, antibacterial — ideal for skin-contact layers.
3
Cork & Cork Composite
Lightweight, natural, and tactile — adds sensory grounding qualities.
Field Research
Interviews
Potential Impact
Interviews with Abby, Taro, and Khan revealed a consistent tension: pet owners want to do right by their dogs and the planet, but the market hasn't caught up. Products either work or look good — rarely both. SHE Hug was positioned to close that gap, offering a vest that feels as considered as the people who buy it.
Key Findings
  1. Dog owners feel existing anxiety products are clinical, ugly, or poorly made.
  1. Sustainability is a purchase driver — owners want materials they can feel good about.
  1. The bond between owner and dog is emotional, not transactional; products should reflect that.
  1. Price sensitivity exists, but conscious pet owners will pay more for quality and values alignment.
Recurring Themes
  1. Emotional design gap: function without feeling.
  1. Desire for products that fit into a lifestyle aesthetic.
  1. Growing awareness of pet wellness as an extension of personal wellness.
  1. Frustration with "tactical" or military-looking pet gear.
Synthesis
Re-framing & Assessment
From Insights to Direction
Mind mapping and whiteboard sessions helped the team cluster research findings into actionable design directions. Key themes emerged around emotional safety, daily ritual, and material authenticity.

The SHE brand values — natural, sustainable, empowering — became the filter for every subsequent design decision, ensuring the product concept remained anchored to both user needs and brand identity.
The Opportunity
SHE Hug: A Wearable Wellness System
01
Hugging Comfort
Gentle, sustained vest pressure that mimics the calming effect of a reassuring touch, reducing anxiety across different environments.
02
Modular Attachments
Detachable calming toys and hygiene necessities that adapt to different stress triggers and daily care routines.
03
Owner-First Usability
Designed to be intuitive and practical for pet owners, supporting bonding without adding complexity to their routine.
Field Research
Personas
Field interviews surfaced two primary persona archetypes: pragmatist pet owners (value function and quality) and conscious companions — couples who see their dog as a lifestyle partner. Both groups shared a desire for products that feel intentional, not just functional.
Maya, 34
Conscious Companion
  • Dog mom to rescue Labrador "Biscuit"
  • Works in wellness/yoga industry
  • Shops sustainably, reads ingredient labels
  • Wants products that reflect her values
  • Pain point: Most pet anxiety products feel clinical or ugly
Shared mindset
Both groups shared a desire for products that feel intentional, not just functional.
Priority lens
pragmatist pet owners (value function and quality)
Identity lens
conscious companions — couples who see their dog as a lifestyle partner.
James & Priya, 38 & 36
Pragmatist Pet Owners
  • Dual-income couple, dog is their "starter family"
  • Value quality and function over aesthetics
  • Research purchases thoroughly
  • Pain point: Can't find a vest that works AND looks good
  • Motivated by vet recommendations
Ideation
Mapping the Possibility Space
Ideation sessions generated a wide range of product and experience concepts — from edible toys to hygiene kits — before converging on the modular vest system as the highest-impact, most brand-aligned solution. The preliminary proposal positioned SHE Hug as a bridge between pet wellness and conscious lifestyle design — not a pet accessory, but a care ritual.
Concept Development
Sustainability Angle
Campaign Line: "Soft on them. Soft on the planet."
Position the vest not as gear, but as a shared emotional experience — a soft, grounding layer that helps both dog and owner feel more in sync. Comfort is the product. Calm is the outcome.
Eco-Conscious Design Language
Every aesthetic decision reinforced the sustainability narrative, from material choice to visual identity.
1
1
Natural Textures
Raw, organic finishes that feel honest and grounded.
2
2
Muted Palette
Earthy tones — sage, stone, warm white — that signal calm.
3
3
Minimal Hardware
Reduced metal and synthetic components; biodegradable fastenings where possible.
Concept Renders
Product Visualization
Exploratory renders communicated the vest's form language — soft, structured, and intentional. The design avoided the visual noise of traditional pet gear, favoring clean silhouettes and natural material textures.
Campaign
Vision Video Concept
30–45 Second Film
A woman walks her dog along the shoreline. The dog is restless — distracted by sound, space, unfamiliarity. Subtle moments of grounding follow: a gentle hand, a taut leash, the quiet weight of the vest.
The dog settles. They move together, in rhythm. The film ends on a quiet, intimate moment — forehead to snout.
"They feel everything. What if you could help them feel… calmer?"
Roadmap
Reflection & Next Steps
If approved for production, the next phase would validate banana fiber as a durable and scalable material, followed by real-world user testing to refine fit and wearability. The emotional design system could then expand across additional pet categories — building a broader family of eco-conscious pet products.