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Philly U. Students Create School Products Designed To Help Their Peers

By Robin Culverwell

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Four Philadelphia University students are the proud creators of "organizational" products now available at Target stores.

The industrial design students began work on the products last fall when the housewares company "Umbra" approached their professor about collaborating for products to target college students for "back to school".

"Think about a problem that you face and a product that could solve that problem," says student Nick Frieze. "I live in a small apartment complex and there's not much room for a beside stand to put books on - or my phone."

And so he created a metal shelf that sits beside the bed, holding a phone or notebook. At the base, the metal turns 90-degrees to tuck under the mattress, which holds it in place.

Classmate Chloe Muller's laundry bag was also chosen. It's carried like a shoulder bag and sports a bright orange and turquoise chevron print.

"That is the actual print that I made my final model out of," she explains. "I thought I've seen that pattern at Target a lot and I know that that's a popular pattern and I thought the colors were great."

Products created by two other students were also chosen, including a peg board for the wall and a small vertical desktop organizer designed to hold keys, a phone, a wallet, even a few pens and pencils.

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