Herman Aguon
Developing thoughtful products from concept through production.
Great products are built long before they're ever manufactured.
Every project begins with understanding its purpose, then balancing design, materials, construction, manufacturing, and performance to create products that are functional, manufacturable, and built to last.
My role is creating the conditions for products to succeed by aligning design, materials, manufacturing, and performance so ideas become products people rely on.
Workbench
Workbench is an ongoing journal of prototypes, material exploration, field testing, and the small decisions that turn ideas into products built for real-world use.
Designing a Hat I'd Actually Dive In
Some products are approved in a conference room. I prefer to find out how they perform in the real world.
This project began with a simple goal: build a lightweight performance hat that could keep up with long days on the water.
Through multiple rounds of prototyping and field testing, I refined the construction, materials, ventilation, and fit until it became something I genuinely wanted to wear.
Today it's been with me through scuba dives, beach days, and countless hours under the California sun.
Built to Go the Distance
One of the most rewarding parts of product development is seeing something you've designed become part of someone else's story.
To evaluate this running hat beyond the sample stage, I gave the first prototype to my brother-in-law, Peter, while he trained for the Chicago Marathon. Over six and a half months, he logged more than 250 miles before wearing the same hat across the finish line.
Months of real world use provided valuable feedback on comfort, durability, and long term performance, exactly the kind of validation that helps turn a promising sample into a better product.