Tummy
Tummy is a social design project that draws attention to the four million people in the Netherlands living with a stomach, liver, or intestinal condition.
The project revolves around a cushion with a navel — a simple intervention that transforms the object into a small belly: familiar, tangible, and inviting conversation. The navel was designed in collaboration with textile designer Ischa Stuart.

Tummy began from a personal story. When Paul’s daughter was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, it became painfully clear how deeply a chronic intestinal illness affects daily life — and how powerless one can feel as a parent. From that feeling arose the idea to create something tangible that contributes to both awareness and research. The result: a cheerful cushion shaped like a belly, complete with a navel. The cushions are available for €99, with 5% of proceeds donated to the MDL Foundation.

Production
Each Tummy is handmade from high-quality leftover fabrics (including from Ahrend Gispen and Bert Plantagie) by Vanhulley, a social enterprise where women — often with a migrant background — spend a year developing their self-reliance through work and training. The cushion is filled with a mix of duvet filling and buckwheat hulls.

Supporting scientific research
5% of all proceeds go to the MDL Foundation, which supports scientific research into diseases of the stomach, intestines, liver, esophagus, bile ducts, and pancreas. Tummy stands for social design with impact: a tangible product, a medical theme, and fair, circular production.

Concept and design: Paul&Albert
Navel design: Ischa Stuart
Cushion production: Vanhulley
Photography: Roelof Bos