Design space: The Bednest - FT.com Product: The Bednest baby's crib Design: Therefore Product Design Consultants Territory: Worldwide British start-up Bednest wanted to produce a crib for babies up to six months old that aided safe sleeping and was convenient to use. Bednest's founders believe in co-sleeping - where the baby sleeps on a different surface from the parents but is near enough to be cared for - which some have argued helps reduce the risk of cot death (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). The Bednest has adjustable legs so that its mattress is level with the parental bed. The side panels are fabric mesh in order to enhance the connection between parent and baby. The mesh had to be strong enough not to be easily torn, while retaining some opacity, so that parent and baby can see each other. When the baby needs feeding or comforting, the parent unhooks the two plastic tabs that secure the side panel to the ends of the crib, then folds it on to the parental bed, creating a continuous surface. Plastic tabs were chosen over Velcro or a stud fastener as they can be released or refastened silently without disturbance. The ends of the crib are made of bent plywood, which is very strong, and makes less noise than plastic if it is knocked. Since the new version of the Bednest was launched in November 2011, 600 units have been sold and a further 1,400 are on order.