BRIEF
‘propose a new design for a packaging product and its systems to improve its circularity and sustainability footprint’
December 2018
SKILLS
graphic design
system design
prototyping
This was a group project in which I was key in keeping the team on track for deadlines. I took charge of building and designing the prototypes that we produced and did all of the graphic design shown on this page.
we are pouched
a packaging solution company that aims to provide a sustainable alternative to prevent plastic personal care bottles ending up in landfill
the problem
…with industry
The current packaging method for bathroom products is generally rigid HDPE and PET bottles. These are used to contain the product during transportation and act as a facilitator for the use of product. However, this extra weight means a far greater footprint in both the manufacture and the transportation of the products. The inefficient packing of the bottles is incredibly uneconomical and un-environmentally friendly as well.
…with users
The issue is not just with the industry. Very few users even consider the environmental impact when purchasing bathroom products. Their main concern is almost always price, but current sustainable alternatives cost considerably more.
Being sustainable isn’t a choice, it’s a privilege.
the price of sustainability
Users are forced to pay more for sustainable alternatives, forcing lower income households to opt for polluting products.
the environmental choice
We conducted a survey and found that only a fraction of users even considered the environmental impact of their bathroom product purchases.
we want to
dematerialise the packaging
Prevent unnecessary shipping of excess weight, and reduce the footprint per bottle.
extend the life of the facilitator
Every shower gel lid you’ve thrown away has been in perfect working order, what if you could keep them?
the solution
Our solution is Pouched. We plan to make bathroom products more sustainable by both reducing the amount of material used to make them, and increasing the efficiency with which they are transported and disposed. By replacing the rigid HDPE/PET bottles with thin pouches, and selling reusable facilitators we can slash the amount of material that ends up in landfill.
The pouched idea has three main parts: the pouch, the reusable lid and the transportation system. Each one brings a unique element to the system, reducing the environmental impact of the industry while still providing the user with the same means to keep clean.
the pouch
The design of the pouch is the main dematerialisation in the idea. It reduces the amount of energy and carbon dioxide needed at both the manufacture and shipping stages massively. However, the design still allows the brand to keep their distinctive bottle shape and the user can adopt it into their routine with minimal effort.
the reusable lid
We designed a facilitator that can be used again and again. Why pay for more packaging than you need to? The lid is a one time purchase and is built to last. It has clips that attach it to the pouch and a spike to pierce the bottom to allow it access the liquid with no risk of spillage.
Every time you throw away a plastic shower gel bottle, you throw away a perfectly functioning lid…
the system
Our proposed system recognises the environmental impact of manufacture and shipping as well as user behaviour in the personal care industry. The system focuses on increasing the packing efficiency of product in transit, and also on the ease of recyclability for the user.
A increase in space efficiency of over 250%
significant reductions to both embodied energy and carbon dioxide production with the pouched design
Implementing a system such as pouched has been adopted by other industries. Noticeably, several milk retailers sell their product in thin plastic bags that are then put into a specifically designed reusable jug. Currently, there is a war on plastic, but we mustn’t forget that we also need to consider the energy behind all of the packaging we use. Opting for reusable, dematerialized plastic solutions can often be more environmentally friendly.