Launching a new product is all about timing. Get it right and you’ve got a winner. Get it wrong and it’s see you later, alligator.

The KOR ONE Hydration Vessel hits the marketplace with everything going its way.

Recent media coverage has raised concern about products containing bisphenol-A (BPA), used to manufacture polycarbonate. Single-use plastic water bottles also are being scrutinized, increasing interest in reusable containers.

“We call it ‘The Perfect Storm,’” says Eric Barnes, founder of KOR and creator of KOR ONE. “We don’t have specific data but we know the reusable bottle market is growing rapidly because of consumer awareness of what’s going on in the media.”

When Barnes heard about Eastman Tritan™ copolyester, he adjusted the timing for introducing KOR ONE so the new BPA-free material could be used.

The timing is just right for Nypro, the plastics injection molding company that’s producing KOR ONE at its Monterrey, Mexico, plant.

“This is not the typical product that comes through Nypro but it’s a sustainable product that’s very strategic,” says Jonathan Rolland, senior program manager - Consumer and Electronics Group who’s leading the project for Nypro. “It’s a North American opportunity so it’s helping our business in Mexico. The timing is perfect.”

One of Nypro’s major contributions to the iconic design of KOR ONE was eliminating the “gate” or notch in the center of the bottom to create a beveled window effect. Normally, the gate is in the middle to optimize the flow of the plastic.

“They moved the gate off to the side because they wanted the bottom to be clear and crystal-like,” says Kurt Botsai, vice president of innovation for RKS Design. “The gating is under the trim so it doesn’t show.”

The trim nicely accents the vessel and provides a comfortable, easy-to-use handle.

“We wanted the design to have crystal-like quality and value that connects emotionally to consumers so that they envision themselves being healthier by using the product,” adds Botsai.

Tritan™ made the elliptical shape of the vessel possible.

“The vessel is wider at the bottom and slightly tapers at the top so that it has a stable look,” Botsai explains. “The only way we could get the crystal quality at the bottom was by varying the wall thickness. Tritan™ does this much better than anything I’ve ever seen in polycarbonate.”

Botsai also likes the toughness and resilience of Tritan™. “You can design in structure but it’s hard to design in resilience,” he notes. “It’s inherent to the material.”

From concept to launch, the design and development of KOR ONE has taken three years. KOR’s Barnes never wavered from the three brand pillars of design, health and sustainability.

“The material became critical early on because of Eric’s concerns about BPA and its use in polycarbonate,” Botsai says. “Kudos to Eric for solving the problem by saying, ‘I want a different material.’”

Barnes deserves credit for emphasizing design and sustainability.

“Sustainability is not just about sustainable materials, it’s about good design,” Barnes explains. “Good design prompts people to keep something longer. Good design goes on the mantelpiece.”

Good design also wins awards. KOR ONE is the category winner for Household Products in the Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) 2008 customer design competition.

And Barnes is counting on good design to inspire people and make the KOR ONE Hydration Vessel a best-seller.