Zero waste by Design
Basic information
Project Title
Full project title
Category
Project Description
Concept: In the future, consumers will no longer throw away one-way packaging, but will refill it in stores at suitable "refilling stations“
Forecast: Substantial reduction in plastic waste -one product replaces 50 products.
Project Region
EU Programme or fund
Description of the project
Summary
Briefing: technically flawless / uncomplicated / exact / precise / controllable / legible / medical / clinical / pure / clean / digestible
This product family consists of three sizes: 330ml for shower gel, 550ml for dish soap and 1000ml for laundry detergent. Every container can be closed for transport, refilled and hence be unlimitedly reused. Its for personal utilization, available in pharmacies and drugstores.
Key objectives for sustainability
Instead of buying countless single-use bottles, this could reduce drastically the amount of plastic used for cleansers all around the world. So this simple and international easy-to-understand container can be used worldwide for a wide range of cleaning liquids. This would also decrease the variation for this kind of containers. It should be made out of PVC and therefore is perfectly made for recycling. Because my personal Opinion is, that if this recycling circle gets better, it could be the foundation for a sustainable society. Not all, especially clinical or hygiene products, can be made out of natural resources. This is the big advantage of reusable (!) plastics. Also the absolut light weight, which can reduce logistic ecological damage.
So the main points are: durability, material efficiency, Intensification of use to change the User behavior
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
design: A close connection to the content is achieved through the finish of the matt transparency, which not only enhances the control, but also heightens the sense of handling the cleaning liquids. Also the scale highlights the actual quantity that is used. This should lead to a more well considered use.
The reduced and nonverbal symbolic provides a universal understanding. So the Open-Close mechanism is the most simple solution that can be understood without the need of reading.
Important is the natural feeling, that looks and feels familiar but has with the parallel form a little twist. So it just need about the same amount of material as common containers but with the strait form it stands out and hopefully be more respected.
Key to all of this thoughts is the temperate character to not force but motivate the user in the application, similar to nudging.
Key objectives for inclusion
Because it is so simple, and a seemingly obvious solution, no one is excluded to use this product. The tubelike shape, a result of intense research for the most effective and easy-to-use mechanism, enables a precise pouring while also allowing a use with one hand only.
Innovative character
It is new, to use reusable and easy to refill container for any kind of cleansers. Normally it is not possible to open those sort of products without breaking or at least deforming it. Also it is not common to have such a plain look, that can be used not only for shampoo but also laundry detergent and every other cleanser. So it is new in this category, to not flash the user to get selected and bought, but staying calm and looking into the future. So it is designed with the goal to be reused, therefore it has a big opening, allowing the user to clean it perfectly and enhancing the motivation to reuse it.
