CaseSafe™ Trackable Luggage

Inspiration
The project began with a deep exploration of traveller frustrations with existing tracking devices like AirTags, uncovering issues of inaccessibility, security limitations, airline incompatibility, and reliance on removable or hidden trackers. To ground the challenge in real-world needs, we interviewed frequent flyers, baggage handlers, airport security personnel, and international aviation experts.

Simultaneously, we collaborated with YiF, the world’s leading TSA lock manufacturer, to understand the manufacturing and compliance challenges of integrating smart technology into mass-produced luggage locks. This human-centred, cross-disciplinary research revealed a clear market gap for a tracker that is intuitive, compliant, and seamlessly embedded.

Ideation
Design exploration centred on embedding smart tracking within a TSA-approved lock without compromising structure, aesthetics, or wireless performance. Early concepts tackled critical constraints—battery access, spatial limits, pairing feedback, and security visibility—while aligning with July’s premium design language. Rapid prototyping allowed testing of lock/tracker configurations, evaluating ergonomics, manufacturability, signal strength, and ease of use.

These learnings drove the development of a modular solution where the lock and tracking units could be serviced independently, supporting circular design principles and long-term product value.

Implementation
Engineering refinements ensured durability, water resistance, and compatibility with both carry-on and checked luggage. A patent-pending partial thread system enabled tool-free installation without requiring internal screws, preserving structure and streamlining assembly. Pre-production validation confirmed that CaseSafe™ met performance and design standards, and close collaboration with manufacturing partners ensured scalability across product lines.

Planned for global rollout, CaseSafe™ is a professionally executed innovation that reinforces July’s commitment to human-centred, sustainable design while delivering a superior travel experience.

CaseSafe™ exemplifies design excellence by addressing a genuine traveller need with a user-centred solution. It allows travellers to track lost or misplaced luggage through Apple Find My and Google Find Hub Device networks.

The design is slim, durable, and intuitively integrated, avoiding the pitfalls of removable or hidden trackers like AirTags. Through its modular, patent-pending design, CaseSafe™ exemplifies how innovation can be integrated without compromise. It sets a new benchmark in industrial design by aligning technical precision with user-centred thinking—elevating Victoria’s design capability and showcasing Australia’s global potential to produce considered, future-ready travel products.

CaseSafe™ was selected by Google for its Find Hub Early Access Program and unveiled at Google I/O 2025, where it was showcased as an example of how connected devices can elevate everyday experiences through thoughtful design. This recognition on a global technology stage reinforces CaseSafe™ not just as a product innovation, but as a significant advancement in travel technology.

This dedication to world-class design also attracted the attention of Australia’s national carrier, Qantas. July collaborated with Qantas to co-design and launch a limited-edition suitcase collection featuring CaseSafe™, demonstrating strong confidence from a major international travel brand and validating the system’s readiness for global rollout.

This project presents a patent-pending solution that addresses multiple integration challenges in smart luggage design through a single, modular system. The design accommodates suitcase shells of varying thicknesses, solving the problem of compatibility between carry-on and checked luggage without the need for separate SKUs or tooling.

A critical innovation is the use of a partial thread molded onto the tracking module’s outer body. This enables secure attachment to the lock front while maintaining precise alignment of key elements: the user interface button and the LED indicator both align perfectly with their corresponding components in the lock face.

The partial thread allows for reliable, tool-free installation without increasing the module footprint or requiring visible fasteners, thereby preserving the shell’s structural integrity and design aesthetics. Screws were ruled out due to spatial constraints and potential QC risks—placement would interfere with the battery area and complicate assembly for factory workers.

A further user-centric innovation is the simplified battery access: the module clamps the inner lining during installation, eliminating the need for users to unzip or disassemble internal components to replace the battery. This directly addresses a widespread issue with existing smart luggage, improving long-term usability and user compliance.

CaseSafe™ delivers lasting social, environmental, and commercial impact. Socially, it reduces stress and uncertainty for travellers by offering real-time location visibility for lost or delayed luggage.

Commercially, it allows July to offer a category-defining feature without redesigning its existing product range establishing value through innovation.

From an environmental perspective, the modular design allows users to replace the lock or tracker independently, extending the product’s lifespan and reducing unnecessary waste. Tool-free battery replacement further supports sustainability by enabling users to replace the battery themselves without specialised services.

By investing in a thorough design process, July has delivered a product that aligns with circular economy principles: repairable, adaptable, and low-impact over its lifecycle. This contributes to Victoria’s reputation as a leader in innovative, sustainable & user-focused design.

CaseSafe™ enhances July’s position as a global design brand and signals the growing importance of design-led innovation in the travel industry. It communicates the value of professional design investment and sets a new global benchmark for what innovative luggage should be. As this product scales internationally, it will promote Victoria as a centre of world-class industrial design and elevate Australia’s creative industry profile on the global stage.