From its early beginnings with a simple mission - to create a reusable bottle that people would actually want to carry - Chilly’s has grown into a design-led brand at the forefront of sustainable everyday products. What started as a disruption to single-use plastic quickly evolved into a movement rooted in style, functionality, and innovation. Now, with the launch of the Series 3 range, Chilly’s continues to push boundaries, refining both form and performance through thoughtful design development. We had the chance to speak to Chilly's founders Tim Bouscarle and James Butterfield, to explore how the brand has evolved from its early days to its latest release, and the design thinking that keeps it one step ahead - here's how it went:
How did Chilly’s first begin - what gap in the market did you see?
Chilly’s began with a very simple idea around the problem of being unable to get cold water on-the-go without buying a single-use plastic bottle. The original Chilly’s bottle used double-wall technology which had existed for a very long time in thermos flasks and combined it with a modern and stylish design that we felt people would be happy to carry around everyday. We knew this would be vital if we were going to achieve our aim of true habit change.
What was the original mission when the brand launched?
Our mission has always been the same - “Accelerate the everyday use and adoption of reusable products”. We are really proud that this remains unchanged after so many years and it continues to guide our decision making to this day.
What were the biggest challenges in the early days?
People just did not understand the product and the concept of carrying a bottle with them everyday, everywhere. We got a lot of “that is just a thermos flask” for the first few years. However, once people started to try the cold water many hours later, perceptions and the value of the product started to change. Word of mouth really drove the early day success.
How would you define the Chilly’s design philosophy?
We have always been guided by the principle that timeless design is the most important consideration. When buying a reusable you want to keep it for a long time. That has strongly influenced the Series 3 design, where we have improved nearly every element of the product, but the overall design language has stayed the same.
Colour has always been central to Chilly’s identity - how do you choose your palettes?
We see our products as extensions of people’s personality, it’s a way to let the world know who you are. So we have always had a range of colours to represent anyone who might want a Chilly’s. We have a team who take inspiration from a wide range of sources to choose the specific colours, always looking to balance the energy and expressiveness of the brand with a timelessness that our consumers will love for years to come.
What was the original idea or spark that led to the creation of Series 3?
From the original Chilly’s bottle to series 2 to now series 3, our aim has always been to achieve continuous improvement to ensure our products are best-in-class. This requires a mixture of consumer led insight and boundary pushing innovation to ensure we offer the best products possible. We continue to approach all product development through the lens of performance, creativity and sustainability.
What are the biggest design or engineering differences compared to your earlier models?
With sustainability in our DNA and B Corp status since 2023, we approached Series 3 with the aim to make every element of the Series 3 more circular. It can be completely disassembled for recycling, and we have moved to more recycled and recyclable materials.
