"Just" A STUDENT project

THIS began as a design project at the School of Visual Arts in New York, where Lebanese designer Leen Sadder and her classmates were asked to redesign the first thing they threw out after leaving class. Leen went home that night and threw out an empty tube of toothpaste. 

While researching the history of oral care, Leen came across the cultural and medicinal benefits of the miswak, and decided to re-introduce it to the Western world. She came up with a simple name and brand and designed a prototype for a miswak holder and cutter that would make it easier to cut and carry the miswak. The prototype was the first iteration of what would become The Cutter Case. 

After presenting the final results to the class, she uploaded the project to her online portfolio, thinking she would never look back at it again.

accidentally viral

The project was first discovered by the industrial design magazine Core77- and from then on was featured in multiple online publications, magazines, blogs and news articles both in the U.S. and abroad.

Leen began receiving emails from all over the world, mostly from people who thought the product was real and wanted to know where they could purchase it. The project was named #27 on The Dieline's Top 100 Package Designs, and also received recognition as a semifinalist in the Adobe Design Achievement Awards.

RETHINK & REDESIGN

Seeing the demand from two very different communities- people looking for natural alternatives to the toothbrush, and Islamic communities looking for a modern take on the miswak- Leen decided to pursue the project, starting with the redesign, development and production of the Cutter Case. 

After lots of professional help and months of market research, user surveys, 3D printing and prototyping, the Cutter Case was ready for production and a provisional patent was issued. The next step was to figure out funding and manufacturing.