Lord Danly Mafe designed the Gurby drawstring bag to meet the needs of dancers in his club, SaGala. He wanted a bag that was portable, organized items through compartments, and was comfortable to carry. Through prototyping with manila paper and flour sack fabric, Danly settled on a design using neoprene fabric with four movable compartments attached by a zipper system. Testing showed the bag could hold dance gear comfortably while protecting contents from water. Feedback informed further improvements around construction, capacity, and making the bag fully waterproof. The Gurby bag aimed to help dancers carry gear without pain from bulkier bags.

1. DESIGN PROCESS BEHIND
GURBY
B Y L O R D D A N L Y M A F E
G R A D E 1 1 - T E C H Z
G U R B Y
B Y D A N L Y

2. DEFINE THE PROBLEM
My need for a bag for
dancing
Duffel bags
Backpacks
Messenger bags
D E S I G N P R O C E S S

3. DANCING -
THINGS I NEED
Dancing is a performance art - but also a sport. It
requires intensive physical training, time, and
dedication.
As a student, I need to bring certain items to
school such as notebooks, papers, and pens in
order to study. This is the same for a dancer. To
dance, I need to bring extra shirts, shorts, towels,
etc.

4. WHAT TYPE OF BAG
THOUGH?
S O W H A T I N E E D T O B R I N G M Y S T U F F I S A B A G .

5. TOO BIG.
H O W A B O U T
A D U F F E L B A G ?

6. TOO BULKY.
H O W A B O U T
A B A C K P A C K B A G ?

7. UNEVEN WEIGHT.
H O W A B O U T
A M E S S E N G E R B A G ?

8. COLLECT INFORMATION
What is a drawstring?
Pros and Cons as compared
with other bags
History of drawstring bags
D E S I G N P R O C E S S

9. WHAT IS A
DRAWSTRING BAG?
A drawstring bag or a cinch bag is a
bag that has a main opening primarily
closed by pulling one or both ends of
a drawstring

10. PROS CONS
I ' L L K E E P T H I S I ' L L N O T K E E P F I X T H I S
Accessibility - pull top to open, pull string to
close, no zippers that get in the way
Compartments - not a closed compartment, so
easier finding items
Customization - easily customizable unlike
other types of bags
Motion - an expert stated that the swinging motion
of the bag can damage the spine
Weight on Shoulders - strings can hurt the
shoulders more than wider straps if items are heavy
Weight on Straps - strings have greater chance to
break than compared to wider straps

11. PROS CONS
I ' L L K E E P T H I S I ' L L N O T K E E P F I X T H I S
Mobility - smaller size makes it more portable,
and lighter
Security - tightly cinches at the top and has less
chance of items falling out
Space Saving - less bulky, therefore takes less
space
Disorganized - all items are jumbled, items are
not stable
Theft - being only one layer and thin, cutting the
fabric is easier for thieves
No base - most drawstring bags have no base, or
if there are any, not firm

12. EGYPTIAN
HIEROGLYPHS
D R A W S T R I N G B A G S H A V E B E E N K N O W N
T O E X I S T F O R A L O N G T I M E A S D E P I C T E D I N

13. 14TH-15TH
CENTURY
16TH-17TH
CENTURY
Rise of the Girdle Pouch:
betrothal tool, dictated social
standing, lifestyle, used to hold
special items and trinkets
Swete Bagges:
became smaller to match with
the current fashion trend
(smaller skirts), now used to
carry scented flowers and herbs,
H I S T O R Y O F D R A W S T R I N G B A G S

14. 18TH-19TH
CENTURY
20TH-21ST
CENTURY
Embroidered Bags:
men started using drawstring
bags, still attached at the waist,
gained popularity as betrothal
gifts due to effort in embroidery
Femininity and Youth Culture:
unisex drawstring bags, worn at
the shoulders, used for carrying
sporting items
H I S T O R Y O F D R A W S T R I N G B A G S

15. INSPIRATION
Dancing - is a culture
My club - SaGala
Why is it called "Gurby"?
D E S I G N P R O C E S S

16. DANCING -
IS A CULTURE
Dancing is not just movement. Dancing is not just
about feeling good. Dancing is about expression.
Going back to the roots of dance, it all started as
a way of expression.
Just like dance, the origins of bags also started
as a way of expression. It was used as betrothal
gifts to express the love of a person to their
special someone.

17. SAGALA.
T H I S I S M Y C L U B . T H E P E O P L E I D A N C E W I T H A N D W H O I A L S O T R E A T A S M Y
F A M I L Y . W E D A N C E , Y E S . B U T W E A L S O , C O M M U N I C A T E . I F E E L W H A T T H E Y F E E L
C O M M U T E F R O M T H E I R H O U S E S A N D B A C K . S O M E T I M E S , T H E Y C O M P L A I N A B O U T
B A C K P A I N O R S T R A I N E D S H O U L D E R S D U E T O T H E S E B A G S . I D O N ' T W A N T T H A T .
T H I S P A S S I O N P R O J E C T I S N O T O N L Y F O R M E T O H A V E M Y O W N D R A W S T R I N G ,
T H I S I S A L S O A W A Y F O R M E T O H E L P M Y F A M I L Y .
B O T H A S A D A N C E R A N D A S A P E R S O N .
W H E N E V E R I P A S S B Y T H E M I N T H E
H A L L W A Y S , I S E E T H E M S T R U G G L E
C A R R Y I N G T H E I R B U L K Y B A G S , L A R G E
B A G S , O R S L I N G B A G S . E V E N W H E N W E
G O T O W O R K S H O P S O U T S I D E O F S C H O O L .
T H E Y B R I N G T H E S E B A G S T H R O U G H T H E

18. WHY IS IT CALLED
"GURBY"?
Ahahaha. Actually, it started out as a pun. There has been a joke
that our club is not called SaGala but ShooGloo or ShoeGlue
because the initials of our logo are SYWGLW. The club was
planning to start an alumni dance group, and we'd call it "Rugby"
because of the pun. With this as inspiration I started looking for a
scrambled version of the word and what I found was "Gurby"
which apparently means a strongly bonded, good relationship
between beautiful and intellectual people. This is how I view my
relationship with the club, that is why I chose this name.

19. BRAINSTORM IDEAS
A drawstring
Fabric Material
Compartments
Attachments
Cording
D E S I G N P R O C E S S

20. A DRAWSTRING BAG
WITHOUT THE CONS
I want to make a drawstring bag
because of the Pros that I listed down.
I want to fix the Cons that I found and
listed down to make the bag better
and unique.

21. FABRIC MATERIAL TO
BE USED
I want something soft and a little
stretchy but thick.
The purpose of my preference is for
the aesthetic and the durability of the
bag.
My choices are polyurethane foam
fabric and neoprene.

22. COMPARTMENTS FOR
ORGANIZATION
The purpose of first drawstrings were for keeping
trinkets and other small valuable items, but my target
use for this design is sports.
Having movable divisions will separate the shoes,
clean and dirty clothes, electronics, etc., from each
other, as well as adjust to the size of the item.
This will give you a clutter free bag.

23. ATTACHMENT
SYSTEM
In order for the compartments be movable, there has
to be some sort of system of attachments.
I want it to be sturdy, easy to use, and completely
separates a compartment from the other.
My choices are: zippers, button snaps, and velcro.

24. CORDING
DRAWSTRING
I want the cording to be soft so that it would not hurt
the shoulders of the user.
I want it to be thick so that it is durable and does not
easily snap.
I want it to be adjustable, so that the bag would not
swing when the person moves while wearing it.

25. DEVELOP SOLUTIONS
Sketches
Manila Paper Prototype
Flour Sack/Canvas Prototype
D E S I G N P R O C E S S

26. SKETCHES

27. MANILA PAPER PROTOTYPE
M A N I L A P A P E R
M A S K I N G T A P E
B A S E
M A S K I N G T A P E
S T R A P S
S T R A P S G O O U T
T O O N E S I D E O N L Y
H A S 4 F I X E D
D I V S I O N S

28. KATCHA/CANVAS PROTOTYPE
I W A S N O T A B L E T O A S S E M B L E I T .
P A R T S H A D D O U B L E L A Y E R S . Z I P P E R S W E R E S U P P O S E D T O
B E U S E D . T H O U G H N O T S T R E T C H Y , F A B R I C I S V E R Y F I R M
B E C A U S E O F T H E D O U B L E L A Y E R A N D T H E C H A R A C T E R O F
T H E M A T E R I A L I T S E L F .

29. FINAL PRODUCT
Neoprene
Movable compartments
attached via zipper system
Thick cording
D E S I G N P R O C E S S

30. GURBY
W A T E R -
R E S I S T A N T
N E O P R E N E
T H I C K A N D
S O F T C O R D I N G
S T U R D Y B A S E
F O U R M O V A B L E
D I V S I O N S A T T A C H E D V I A
Z I P P E R S Y S T E M

31. TESTING & FEEDBACK
Shake Test
Laptop inside
Capacity
Water-splash
Comfortability
D E S I G N P R O C E S S

32. SHAKING
TEST
I tried shaking the drawstring bag without any items
inside and it did not break.
I wanted to add some weight to it because it looked
durable.

33. SHAKING TEST -
LAPTOP INSIDE
Now with the laptop inside, I tried wearing it and I
jumped around for quite a while, surprisingly, it did
not break.
Pretty durable for something hand-sewn.

34. CAPACITY OF THE BAG
USING ITEMS I BRING
Filling it with items I usually bring to dance, I brought
a maximum of: 2 pairs of shoes, 4 shirts, 1 shorts, 1
jogger pants, and 3 500-mL water bottles.
Neoprene is stretchy so the bag expanded.
The divisions kept the items on each compartment
organized.

35. SPLASHING THE BAG
WITH WATER
Neoprene is known to be the fabric used in making
scuba diving outfits. It is water-resistant.
I tried splashing my bag with water and I checked the
inside of my bag, it was not wet.
I tried putting the fabric in water, it does not go in the
fabric for a while, but it does eventually so it's
washable.

36. COMFORT IN
USING THE BAG
As I showcased my bag to different people to get
feedback, one of them said that she does not like to
use drawstrings because it hurts her shoulders.
So I let her wear and walk around with my drawstring
bag, while being fully loaded with items. She said that
it did not hurt, and in fact, it was comfortable because
the strings were soft and the texture of the neoprene
felt nice against her back.

37. IMPROVE
Suggestions
What I saw
D E S I G N P R O C E S S

38. SUGGESTIONS FROM
OTHERS
- secure the seams - for a cleaner look
- reinforce the strap holes - it gets all the pressure
- improve the zipper system - some zippers can easily break
- shorter - to have less bulky look
- put a handle - for multipurpose carrying
- add graphic design - to attract consumers

39. POINTS FOR
IMPROVEMENT I SAW
- sewing process - hard time sewing with original sequence
- three compartments - more space for zipping and unzipping
- change to denim - stylish and sturdy
- waterproof completely - only water-resistant now
- machine-sewn - to have a more sturdy finish

40. G U R B Y
B Y D A N L Y
THANK YOU
2 9 T H O F A P R I L 2 0 1 8
F O R I N Q U I R I E S :
- G M A I L : lorddanly.mafe@gmail.com

41. SOURCES
INFORMATION:
- Design Process: https://www.discoverdesign.org/handbook
- Drawstring: https://totebagfactory.com/pages/the-ultimate-guide-to-drawstring-bags-everything-you-
need-to-know-about-drawstring-backpack
- Definition: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/drawstring
- Cons: http://www.stakeholderdesign.com/is-your-childs-heavy-schoolbag-harming-their-health/
D E S I G N P R O C E S S B E H I N D G U R B Y

42. SOURCES
D E S I G N P R O C E S S B E H I N D G U R B Y
PICTURES:
- Slide 4: http://assets.coolhunting.com/coolhunting/2016/01/13/large_Conrad-Mens-Leather-Bags-01.jpg
- Slide 5: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1448582649076-3981753123b5?ixlib=rb-
0.3.5&s=0ca39a7cff51dadddd79947ac7e98cfd&dpr=1&auto=format&fit=crop&w=1000&q=80&cs=tinysrgb
- Slide 6:
- Slide 7: https://assets.bigcartel.com/product_images/179403995/QQ%E6%88%AA%E5%9B%BE20160602134419.png?
auto=format&fit=max&h=1000&w=1000
- Slide 10: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/50/f5/28/50f528c841498277ef43354f751654e1.jpg
- Slide 11: http://www.bettinas-pages.de/pictures/accessories/pouch_purse/heimsuchung_gr.jpg
- Slide 12: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/0b/3f/dd/0b3fddfd2103cfb98d616f57ebca3568--beaded-bags-vintage-
handbags.jpg

43. SOURCES
D E S I G N P R O C E S S B E H I N D G U R B Y
PICTURES:
- Slide 20: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/easy-drawstring-bags-mineral-linen-
600-19.jpg
- Slide 21: http://www.fabricuk.com/img/FabricPics/TB3937.jpg
- Slide 22: https://sneakernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/adidas-alphabounce-aramis-release-date-01.jpg
- Slide 23: https://www.rag-bone.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-ragandbone-
Library/default/dwa1bd404b/pdp/riri.jpg
- Slide 24: http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NDk1WDUwMA==/z/ZIwAAOxy7nNTVjeD/$_3.JPG?set_id=2
- Slide 32: https://i1.wp.com/kelseaventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/stil-336189-unsplash.jpg?
resize=1080%2C675

44. SOURCES
D E S I G N P R O C E S S B E H I N D G U R B Y
PICTURES:
- Slide 33: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1473445361085-b9a07f55608b?ixlib=rb-
0.3.5&ixid=eyJhcHBfaWQiOjEyMDd9&s=c8dccca34a41c87fef98e6ca7957126b&w=1000&q=80
- Slide 34: https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/004/933/340/bca77e270fed175c4cafe5568e8da780_original.jpg?
w=680&fit=max&v=1447814025&auto=format&q=92&s=6f3cdfed404d0bd71665ffdc8036b6b8
- Slide 35: http://restorationxpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/unsplash-1.jpg
- Slide 36: https://connectingdotstogod.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/rowboat-from-unsplash.jpg?w=640
- Slide 38 and 39: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/8d/5b/2f/8d5b2f4ac690b63b06ad21aca7709a66.jpg