Hi all, Although nature provides us with many examples of its circularity, our current take-make-waste culture is linear. Take a chip bag, for example. It cannot be reused, recycled, or composted. It is designed to end up as waste. But what if we shifted our mentality to be more like nature, where nothing is wasted? There are companies out there right now that have mastered this, companies that design away waste. Here are three examples:
Apeel is a company that is innovatively tackling food waste by introducing an alternative to single-use plastic packaging on fruits and vegetables. They apply a layer of edible, plant-based coating to fresh produce that “mimics and enhances the natural defences of fruit and vegetables”. The coating slows down oxidation and water loss processes that would otherwise cause spoilage. You simply spray, dip, or brush it on. Fruits and vegetables stay fresh at least twice as long, and there is no need for plastic packaging. Notpla offers a seaweed and plant-based alternative to flexible plastic packaging used in take-away food and beverages. They are currently exploring seaweed-based takeaway boxes, heat-sealable films, and sachets for non-food products. They are also well known for an edible liquid blob called ‘Ooho’. Lush makes products without any packaging at all. They have redesigned some liquid personal care products to be sold in solid form that replace liquid products in plastic bottles. They have a ‘naked’ line that includes shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toner, and deodorant. For more information and/or another design example, click here.
Apeel is a company that is innovatively tackling food waste by introducing an alternative to single-use plastic packaging on fruits and vegetables. They apply a layer of edible, plant-based coating to fresh produce that “mimics and enhances the natural defences of fruit and vegetables”. The coating slows down oxidation and water loss processes that would otherwise cause spoilage. You simply spray, dip, or brush it on. Fruits and vegetables stay fresh at least twice as long, and there is no need for plastic packaging. Notpla offers a seaweed and plant-based alternative to flexible plastic packaging used in take-away food and beverages. They are currently exploring seaweed-based takeaway boxes, heat-sealable films, and sachets for non-food products. They are also well known for an edible liquid blob called ‘Ooho’. Lush makes products without any packaging at all. They have redesigned some liquid personal care products to be sold in solid form that replace liquid products in plastic bottles. They have a ‘naked’ line that includes shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toner, and deodorant. For more information and/or another design example, click here.
