Xpanda Bra wins Bizziebaby Gold Award
Congratulations to Declan McDonnell, founder of Xpanda Bra, who won the BizzieBaby Gold Award for their great product. Bizziebaby is a website for mums and dads looking for the best parent-related products. They won their gold award (after previously winning a bronze and two silvers in previous years) exclusively from the honest reviews of new mums who tried and tested their product.
Client: Declan McDonnell
Material: Premium high-quality cotton
Status: UK & PCT Patent Pending | Granted European & UK Registered Design
Website: Visit Xpanda Bra®
The Project Overview
Xpanda Bra® is a revolutionary, trademarked nursing bra designed to accommodate the natural fluctuations in breast size during breastfeeding. By allowing mothers to manually adjust cup volume, it provides immediate relief from the pressure and discomfort associated with milk supply changes.
The Challenge: Solving Breastfeeding Discomfort
Every nursing mother experiences breast size fluctuations throughout the day. Declan McDonnell identified a critical problem: standard nursing bras often become painfully tight when a mother is away from her child and unable to feed or express. He envisioned a unique adjustable nursing bra that could expand and contract to provide instant relief and support without requiring a complete change of clothing.
The Innovate Solution: From Sketch to Functional Prototype
Declan partnered with Innovate Product Design to turn his conceptual sketches into a market-ready garment. Our development focused on:
Functional Engineering: Creating a simple, discreet adjustment mechanism that allows for cup volume changes while maintaining the bra's structural support.
Prototyping: Transitioning from rough drawings to a fully functional prototype to test the adjustment system and ensure the "smooth cotton" finish met high-end maternity standards.
Intellectual Property Strategy: Assisting Declan in securing a granted European and UK registered design, alongside PCT patent applications, to protect the unique mechanism globally.
"Innovate brought my product from rough sketches to a fully functional prototype. Their response was extremely quick and professional, and their costs are more than reasonable." — Declan McDonnell
The Process: Bridging the Gap Between Idea and Reality
With Innovate’s guidance, Declan successfully navigated the product journey:
Concept Refinement: Ensuring the bra could be used as a standard maternity bra when adjustments aren't needed.
Technical Support: Leveraging the design team’s expertise to create a "slick" user experience for quick adjustments.
Professional Mentorship: Providing ongoing advice and accessibility through every stage of the design and patenting process.
The Results: A Confidence Boost for New Mothers
Xpanda Bra® has launched as a "confidence-boosting" solution in the maternity market. By offering a perfect fit at all times—even when using breast pads or shells—it has set a new standard for maternity wear innovation. Declan’s vision has become a reality, offering mothers a stylish, high-quality garment that adapts to their bodies' needs.
Do you have an idea that solves a problem?
Request a confidential idea review and one of our experts will give feedback on your idea and suggest what you can do next.