The Lini Cube Story.

So you just caused me some pain! It was a building block I just stepped on. I picked it up for a closer look. What an amazing product. So simple and yet, it has the potential to drive a whole industry.

My second thought took me back to my childhood. What was it again, that bothered me about it? Oh yeah, I remember: Not being able to build to the sides. How can it be, that this block has been around for so long without any improvements? Perhaps it's not possible?

Just adding plugs to the sides will not do the trick. But what if you invert it? What if the plugs would come out the other side? This way you could get rid of the bumpy surface. Now adding a flat inverted pattern to the remaining sides would make it pluggable to the sides. And if it would be a cube instead of a cuboid it would require even less variation of blocks.

The idea came within seconds. However, making it a reality took me on a long journey. Industry experts said, a building block with those features can't be built. Once I had a working prototype they said it can't be mass produced. Good that experts are not alway right.

With Lini cube we created a revolutionary product. Something that seemed impossible for generations and with such creating a new standard. 

This is how the jury of the German Design Council describes Lini cube: 
The Lini cube is a new concept in toy building blocks: as there is only one type of building block, it goes back to the roots the old-fashioned way. Not only does this encourage imagination and creativity, but it also opens up countless number of design possibilities.

Daniel Stead
(Designer of the Lini cube)

Timeline

 

  • The idea together with a certain determination was born out of frustration over the toy industry's lack of innovation.

  • First prototype with round plugs. Followed by the second prototype with “sinus” plugs in June 2014 and a third prototype with various colours and better quality in September of the same year.

  • 3 utility patents

  • Over a hundred prototypes were made to test various models in real life conditions. Up to this point it was only possible to build something using 3D software on the computer, due to the small quantity of the prototypes. Now we could make sure that models made in 3D renderings could actually be built.

  • The mold was a challenge. However, the cube came out surprisingly well with still some tweaks to be done.

  • 10 Designs registered

  • Support from the German Economics Ministry (German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy).

  • Against all odds the results from the production molds were great.
    Ready for production.

  • Launch of the first public Lini cubes: The Limited Edition Red.

  • Exhibitor on the joint stand "Innovation Made in Germany" from the German Economics Ministry.

  • Decision was made to place Lini cube in the exclusive / luxury market rather than mass market.

  • Lini cube wins the Red Dot Product Design Award 2016

  • Introducing our color concept Shades.

  • Lini cube wins the German Design Award 2017

  • Lini cube on YouTube

  • 2017, October - Exhibition Brands & Signs
    2017, November - Toy Fair Dresden

  • Lini cube on YouTube

  • The Lini Cube story startet with an idea. Nobody believed a building block with those features would be possible to build. Even with a working prototype, industry professionals didn’t believe it could be mass produce.

    Thanks to our Kickstarter supporter, Lini Cube was mass produced in Germany with astonishing precision and quality. We could even introduce DNA counterfeit plagiarism protection for the first time in a toy.

    We shipped Lini Cube to all our supporters and everyone who bought them through our homepage. The business is now closed and Lini Cubes can't be bought anymore. However, we might open the business again in the future, to be able to produce and sell some more. For now there are only a few sets in privat ownership. If you are interested you can contact us.