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Rethinking Food Packaging
Food packaging is an area of huge consumption and waste in our modern society. A Swedish design firm called Tomorrow Machine is rethinking packaging design, to not only be biodegradable, but to only last the time required for the type of food it stores. They are shifting the focus from “Does it decompose eventually?”, to “Does it last as long as the product and no longer?” I am not knowledgeable about the specific materials they are using, and whether those are the best ones for the job or not. However, I think that the most innovative part of this project isn’t the solution anyway, it’s the question. What materials are best suited to contain different types of food? What will keep them fresh and prevent them from spoiling early, but also degrade on the same time scale the food does. This starting point allows for a lot of creativity and innovation, because they are not limiting themselves to try and make packaging that looks and functions like existing packaging while also being biodegradable. They are starting from the ground up.
The following project description, and the descriptions for each type of packaging are from Tomorrow Machine’s website.
This too shall pass
Is it reasonable that it takes several years for a milk carton to decompose naturally, when the milk goes sour after a week? This Too Shall Pass is a series of food packages where the packaging has the same short life span as the foods they contain. The package and its content are working in symbiosis[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” bg_position=”left top” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left”][vc_column width=”1/3″ animation=”none” centered_text=”true” column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1428116658042{padding-top: 12% !important;padding-right: 12% !important;padding-bottom: 12% !important;padding-left: 12% !important;}”]
Rice Package
Package made of biodegradable beeswax. To open it you peel it like a fruit. The package is designed to contain dry goods, for example grains and rice.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″ animation=”none” centered_text=”true” column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1428116735396{padding-top: 12% !important;padding-right: 12% !important;padding-bottom: 12% !important;padding-left: 12% !important;}”]
Oil package
A package made of caramelized sugar, coated with wax. To open it you crack it like an egg. When the material is cracked the wax do no longer protect the sugar and the package melts when it comes in contact with water. This package is made for oil-based food.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″ animation=”none” centered_text=”true” column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1428116764391{padding-top: 12% !important;padding-right: 12% !important;padding-bottom: 12% !important;padding-left: 12% !important;}”]
Smoothie package
Gel of the agar-agar seaweed and water are the only components used to make this package. To open it you pick the top. The package will wither at the same rate as it’s content. It is made for drinks that have a short life span and needs to be refrigerated, fresh juice, smoothies and cream for example.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” interval=”3″ images=”1323,1322,1326,1324,1321,1328,1325,1320,1329″ layout=”3″ gallery_style=”2″ onclick=”link_image” custom_links_target=”_self” img_size=”1000×685″ display_title_caption=”true”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″ animation=”none” centered_text=”true” column_padding=”padding-4-percent” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″][vc_column_text]