Disappearing Packaging

The Disappearing Package is a Masters Thesis Project by Pratt Institute student Aaron Mickelson. He is starting a conversation about the unnecessary waste that some of our packaging solutions produce. Below are some examples of ideas that have commercial viability and prove that Aaron is on the right track with his thinking.

Twinings Tea Bags

These individual wax lined tea packets are connected in an accordion style that allows each segment to be torn off for use, eliminating the need for an overall housing package. This will not only reduce overall waste, but without the need for extra packaging, more products can fit on shelves, palettes and in delivery trucks, indirectly reducing the carbon footprint of the delivery process as well.

Tide PODs

Most of the laundry pods that I've seen, either come in a resealable thick plastic pouch or a plastic bowl like container with a screw on lid.  This solution however needs no extra packaging or waste. These pods are connected together on one perforated sheet, which has soap soluble ink printed on it for branding and such. The existing pod plastic is water soluble, so there is no stretch of the imagination when this new concept is made of the same material. The consumer just needs to tear off one pod at a time. Simple as that.

 

OXO POP Containers

All the necessary branding and information are screen-printed on these containers with soap soluble inks. The simple act of washing the containers when you first get them (which everyone should do anyway) dissolves the ink, leaving a clean container ready for use.

NIVEA Bar Soap

The packaging itself for this bar of soap is water soluble and septic safe. So when you're ready to, you just need to take the whole package into the shower. Once the packaging gets wet, it will dissolve, leaving just the bar of soap behind.


These are all great ideas that are not only practical, but very plausible. I don't think we are far away from seeing these types of package-less products on our shelves. Found here.