In 2022, the Konny FLEX baby carrier received Japan's Good Design Award (G Mark) from the Japan Institute of Design Promotion. FLEX still adjusts to fit different people, which was the point of that entry. Four years later, we went back to our entry on the award page to retrace how we designed it, and to read what one of the judges wrote.
Why we made FLEX
The original Konny carrier came in finely graded sizes to match different body types. In our award entry, we called this a limit. It made the carrier hard to share with a partner raising the baby with you, and hard for a mother whose weight had changed a lot since before the birth to pick a size.
For FLEX, we kept what we saw as the carrier's strengths: it is not bulky, and it goes on as easily as a light T-shirt. Then we added size adjustment, so one carrier could fit people of different builds. FLEX went on sale in March 2022.
What we focused on in the design
Our entry on the award page describes FLEX as a carrier "for families starting life as parents," with a simple design and a light weight that make it easy to take along. We kept the earlier carrier's shape, fabric, and back structure, and tried different ways to add the adjuster.
An adjuster you can reach
We put the size adjuster where the shoulder straps meet the back, so you can reach it even if you are not very flexible. You pull or loosen the webbing to change the size, and that lets people of different builds share the same carrier.
Webbing made for FLEX
Over two years, we made about 30 samples and tested them by carrying babies ourselves. We also chose the trims with care. With a manufacturer, we developed a 50 mm (about 2 in) webbing that is thin and light, with a dense weave that keeps it soft. The size markings are printed in a way that keeps them from warping.
Made with newborn care in mind
Our entry also describes FLEX as designed with newborn care in mind, with an ergonomic design that eases the strain on the person wearing it.
What a judge said
One of the judges wrote on the award page that Konny carriers were "the forerunner of the type made from soft, clothing-like fabric" (our translation from Japanese), and recommended the new adjustable FLEX to anyone about to start raising a child.
Konny FLEX in 2026
FLEX now comes in two fabrics, FLEX SoftBreeze™ and FLEX AirMesh™, and each comes in two adjustable sizes, XS-XL and M-4XL. The size adjuster goes from 1 to 13. FLEX weighs 7 oz (195 g), and you put it on like a T-shirt, with no complicated buckles. The minimal design and flexible fabric are meant to go with any outfit.
Our Find Your Carrier page answers yes to "Can my partner and I share one Konny carrier?" Both parents can use FLEX.
For the longer story of how Konny's look came about, read A Minimalist Modern Baby Carrier: Why Konny FLEX Looks Like Clothing. To see the current colors, visit the Konny FLEX collection.