KOR One

Signature reusable hydration vessel.

KOR Water aimed to redefine the reusable water bottle category, creating a vessel that is not just eco conscious and BPA free, but emotionally engaging, ergonomic, and fashion forward. The challenge: design a product that feels like a personal lifestyle object, not just a container.

Personal hydration meets purposeful design.

“From KOR’s humble beginnings, RKS has been a cornerstone of our success to use design and innovation to create and redefine the sustainable hydration category. Ravi and his team at RKS see with more than mere eyes; they engage all five senses, plus the heart and mind, to understand human desires at a fundamental level and then masterfully articulate that understanding into products that connect emotionally.”

— Founders of KOR Water

A clear, modern water bottle with a flip-top lid is being filled with water, shown against a plain white background. Bubbles are visible inside as the water pours in.
A person in a black long-sleeve top holds a clear water bottle with black accents, filled with a dark liquid, against a plain white background.

RKS engaged in day in the life immersion studies and leveraged our proprietary Psycho‑Aesthetics® framework to map emotional drivers, identity, health, and sustainability, against user behavior. We found that competitors lacked distinct personality, occupying the low impact quadrant. KOR’s ideal positioning aligned with “enriched” emotional resonance: tools that empower while expressing refined taste.

Research Insights & Discovery

KEY OUTPUTS

Persona profiles focused on health driven, style conscious users
Emotional behavioral placement maps
Benchmarking
Opportunity Areas & Design Criteria

How We Used Psycho-Aesthetics™ to Identify Unique Opportunities in the Project.

Using our proprietary Psycho-Aesthetics® 2.0 framework, we conducted in-depth interviews and ethnographic observation in diverse lab settings. We identified key emotional and usability pain points — such as intimidation with complex interfaces, workspace clutter, and trust in precision. These insights guided both the form and interface strategy, ensuring approachability and confidence in operation.

A collage of 20 presentation slides showing charts, timelines, website mockups, product images of reusable water bottles, diagrams, and brand comparison tables related to product design and marketing.
We crafted the iconic KOR One bottle with elegant, tapered geometry and ergonomic “spoiler” handle for carrying comfort. The no slip base, protective spout guard, and threadless drinking spout combine seamless aesthetics with hygienic engineering. Materials like BPA free Eastman Tritan support clarity, durability, and sustainability.

Industrial Design Concept Development

KEY OUTPUTS

3D CAD renderings and prototype iterations
Functional models demonstrating cap usability and leak prevention
Material and finish specifications tuned for visual appeal and durability
Two modern bottles with a sleek design, featuring a glossy orange and white color scheme, shown from the front and side on a white background with the RKS Design logo.
Three sleek, black, oval-shaped devices with red accents are shown from the front, side, and back views. Each device has a rectangular display with the word HOR on the front.
Two sleek, blue cylindrical bottles with rounded tops are placed side by side in front of a dark horizontal rectangle, with a modern, minimalist design style. KOR and RKS Design logos appear at the bottom.
Kor water bottle in different sizes
Under the hood engineering optimized the bottle’s leak proof seal, wide spout, and intuitive cap system. Internal collaboration ensured reliability, ergonomic grip, and manufacturability, all while supporting innovation such as the “KOR Stone” inside lid for brand storytelling.

Engineering & Development

KEY OUTPUTS

Engineering prototypes validated for performance and user testing

Technical documentation for injection molding and tooling

Workflow for integrating visual storytelling features within hardware

A sleek, modern water bottle with a metallic black frame and a transparent body, standing upright on a reflective white surface.
Building on the success of KOR One, we worked with the client to define future offerings, such as filtration systems, beverage accessories, and enhancements. A cradle to brand strategy guided new lines like Aura and Chrome editions, and philanthropic campaigns like “Thirst for Giving” tied product colors to water advocacy partnerships.

Brand & Portfolio Expansion

KEY OUTPUTS

Product roadmaps spanning four new categories: Containers, Filtration, Beverages, and Enhancements

Concept proposals for new vessel lines and accessory systems

Brand alignment plans to scale global market presence

Kor water bottle being held by person
Kor One Water Bottle In Magazine Spreads Product Design

KOR One is more than a bottle, it’s an exemplar of RKS’s ability to fuse deep emotional insight with refined design execution. By elevating daily hydration into a sensory, aspirational ritual, we helped KOR Water revolutionize a commodity market and catalyze brand loyalty across diverse consumer segments.

Key Outcomes and Results

Key Accomplishments

Status:

  • Launched successfully; now a global brand carried in over 100 countries with multiple product lines

Recognition:

  • Numerous design awards across KOR lines including One, Aura, and Chrome

Business Impact:

  • Consistent year over year market share growth

  • KOR became emblematic of “sustainable hydration” and wellness lifestyle

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