Most people have dreams of traveling places for pleasure, enjoying the sights and sounds of a bustling foreign city, or catching the sun at some beach. Those fantasies often come crashing down when it comes time to actually start packing, turning preparations into one of the most stressful parts of any travel that requires more than a few days of clothing. Fortunately, the fun starts after, but the stress returns the moment you’re returned as well. Unpacking and cleaning up is already tiring, but putting away an unused suitcase can be a hassle if you don’t have spacious storage for it. The Jollying Pebble eases part of that burden by offering a suitcase you can almost stow away anywhere, and it looks pretty jolly to boot!
Designer: Andrea Ponti
Choosing a suitcase to buy can be a bit stressful already. You have to choose the perfect compromise between size and portability, having to mind where you’d keep the suitcase when it’s not in use. If you could have all of those, it would definitely be grand. Fortunately, you can, at least with this design whose simplicity belies its ingenuity.
The Jollying Pebble uses a collapsible structure to make the suitcase body more flexible in how much it can carry and how flat it can be when empty. Two hard shells form the front and back (or top and bottom, if you will) that sandwich a layer of durable textile that can expand or fold down as the case may be. The idea is that the suitcase simply collapses and flattens itself to more than half its size, allowing you to keep it in narrow spaces like under the bed or even inside a closet. There have been expandable suitcase designs before, but the Jollying Pebble takes it further in both size and build.
Being collapsible doesn’t mean that the design skimps on quality and durability. In addition to the extra-tough shells and water and tear-resistant textiles, the Jollying Pebble also comes with smooth, noiseless wheels, a zipper that goes all around the body, durable pull and carry handles, and a standard TSA combination lock. There are also straps on each side that hold the suitcase in its collapsed state so that it doesn’t suddenly expand just because the two sides start rolling away from each other. Even better, there’s also a stand that keeps the suitcase itself in place and can be used to proudly display the suitcase.
The Jollying Pebble is more than just convenient and easy to use, it also looks fun as well. Available in a variety of pastel colors, the suitcases truly look like jolly pebbles. Almost all parts are color matched as well, including the included stand, though the black zippers, wheels, and handles provide a pleasant contrast as well. With such a design, the Jollying Pebble creates an atmosphere of fun and play that makes even the act of packing and unpacking more enjoyable.
