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Senior Level Industrial Design Expertise

I’m Evan Thomas, an Auckland-based industrial designer specialising in product development for hardware businesses.

For over 12 years, I’ve worked across consumer products, wearable technology, and engineered hardware, contributing to products that have progressed from early concept through to production and market release. My experience spans cocnept ideation, injection moulding, sheet metal fabrication, enclosure development, and manufacturing-ready CAD.

Earlier in my career, I worked within established design consultancies delivering projects for both local and international brands. Today I operate independently partnering directly with manufacturers and product teams who require experienced development support without expanding full-time headcount.

My work is creative design grounded in manufacturing reality. I focus on design decisions that hold up through engineering review, supplier engagement, tooling strategy, and production release. Whether embedded within a team or delivering defined project outcomes, the objective is consistent: structured progression toward manufacturable products.

I work best with established hardware companies, growing product teams, and serious founders preparing for production.

Evan Thomas. An industrial designer based in Auckland, NZ.
A Venn diagram with three circles labelled Tech Capability, Manufacturing Feasibility, and Market Desirability highlights the sweet spot for Product Design NZ. The small overlapping area in the centre is highlighted in yellow.

Professional Achievements

Konos Microphone

A black tabletop microphone on a tripod stand is connected by cables to an audio interface and a mixer, showcasing sleek Product Design NZ against a dark background.
A black tabletop microphone on a tripod stand is connected by cables to an audio interface and a mixer, showcasing sleek Product Design NZ against a dark background.
Konos Microphone

Collaboration with Blender Design and Dotterel Technologies

ENVI - Engineering NZ Innovation Award

2023

Gold Pin - Product - Designers Institute NZ

2023

Winner - Product - Good Design Awards AU

2023

Wishbone Balance Bike

A colourful children's balance tricycle with a black frame, white tyres, green handlebars, purple seat, and vibrant decorative patterns on the body—an imaginative example of Product Design NZ—set against a plain white background.
A colourful children's balance tricycle with a black frame, white tyres, green handlebars, purple seat, and vibrant decorative patterns on the body—an imaginative example of Product Design NZ—set against a plain white background.
Recycled Balance Bike

Collaboration with Wishbone Design Studio

Winner - Product - Good Design Awards AU

2020

Winner - European Product Design Award

2019

Gold Pin - Product - Designers Institute NZ

2014

Gold Pin - Sustainability - Designers Institute NZ

2014

Stratlock Panel Mounting System

Several white and black plastic components with circular openings and rubber rings, plus one red and one white round part, are arranged on a grey surface—showcasing Industrial Design NZ expertise in CAD and design for manufacture.
Several white and black plastic components with circular openings and rubber rings, plus one red and one white round part, are arranged on a grey surface—showcasing Industrial Design NZ expertise in CAD and design for manufacture.
Stratlock Panel Mounting System

Collaboration with Blender Design and Fastmount

Silver Pin - Product - Designers Institute NZ

2020

Winner - Product - Good Design Awards AU

2022

Sealegs E4 Electric Amphibious Boat

A person is driving an amphibious boat with wheels onto a sandy beach at sunset. The water is calm, the sky clear. Showcasing innovative Product Design NZ, the boat has SeaLegs Electric written on its side.
A person is driving an amphibious boat with wheels onto a sandy beach at sunset. The water is calm, the sky clear. Showcasing innovative Product Design NZ, the boat has SeaLegs Electric written on its side.
E4 Electric Amphibious Boat

Collaboration with Blender Design and Sealegs

Gold Pin - Product Experimental - Designers Institute NZ

2020

Fastmount Textile Clip

A white and clear plastic bread bag clip, designed by a freelance industrial designer, rests on a light grey, textured fabric surface atop a wooden table.
A white and clear plastic bread bag clip, designed by a freelance industrial designer, rests on a light grey, textured fabric surface atop a wooden table.
Heavy Duty Textile Clip

Collaboration with Blender Design and Fastmount

Bronze Pin - Product - Designers Institute NZ

2020

Fabseat

A modern office chair with a lattice back and seat sits on castors. Abstract 3D design elements flow from the left, illustrating its creation by a freelance industrial designer from Industrial Design NZ at ET-ID.
A modern office chair with a lattice back and seat sits on castors. Abstract 3D design elements flow from the left, illustrating its creation by a freelance industrial designer from Industrial Design NZ at ET-ID.
Fabseat

Gold Pin - Product Student - Designers Institute NZ

2013

Winner - Product Concept - Reddot

2013

Runner up - James Dyson Awards

2013

Design Toolkit

A red 3D mechanical gear assembly model is displayed above the red SOLIDWORKS logo and text on a light grey background, showcasing CAD expertise ideal for an Industrial Design NZ or Freelance Industrial Designer portfolio.

Solidworks 2025

Part generation and detailed assemblies

Stylised black and white graphic of a rhinoceros head, depicted in a minimalist, abstract design with bold curves—a striking piece inspired by Industrial Design NZ aesthetics.

Rhinoceros

Supporting universal CAD

A circular logo for ET-ID features a black hexagon centre, surrounded by six blue and white curved segments, resembling a camera shutter—a sleek nod to innovative Product Design NZ.

Keyshot

Photo Realistic Imagery & animations

A white silhouette of a grasshopper stands on a blade of grass, centred on a solid green circular background—reflecting the innovative spirit of Product Design NZ.

Grasshopper

Procedural & Generative Modelling

An icon of a sharpened pencil with an orange background, perfect for Product Design NZ. The pencil casts a long shadow to the right, and the image features rounded corners for a modern, flat design style.

Sketchbook

Concept Sketching

A white, stylised infinity loop logo on a rounded square with a vibrant rainbow gradient background, representing the Adobe Creative Cloud app icon—a must-have for Product Design NZ and Industrial Design NZ professionals.

Adobe

Creative cloud suite

Miro

Collaborative Whiteboarding

A white downward arrow is centred on a black rounded square background, reflecting the precision and attention to detail of ET-ID in Product Design NZ.

Vizcom

Rapid AI Image generations

A stylised, geometric logo featuring three overlapping, angular shapes outlined in red, creating an abstract, layered design on a light grey background—perfect for a Freelance Industrial Designer or Product Design NZ branding.

Phrozen 3D Printer

Large format mSLA resin printing

A turquoise square icon with a white, stylised D in the centre, above the word Synology in bold black letters—perfect inspiration for a freelance industrial designer or anyone interested in Industrial Design NZ.

Synology NAS

Backed up file system