Featured image for Tokyo Studio Nendo Builds in Sustainability and Hygiene Into Latest Project

Tokyo Studio Nendo Builds in Sustainability and Hygiene Into Latest Project

by Rudy Sanchez on 04/07/2021 | 2 Minute Read

As the world collectively recognizes the urgent need to reduce plastic consumption, firms everywhere have sought ways to lessen the load on the planet with a curtailing of the use of the pernicious polymers. 

In the case of liquid soaps and cleansers, refillable solutions reduce the need for unnecessary plastic. But repeated uses of the same vessel create a different concern over the hygiene of the refillable container, especially when it’s shared. This consideration gained momentum as a pandemic upended our lives. It's against this backdrop that the talented folks at Japanese studio nendo reimagine sustainable liquid soap dispensers.

Editorial photograph

Designed for Mitsubishi Corporation Packaging and Nippon Paper Industries, nendo addresses the need to eliminate as much plastic production as possible with concerns over hygiene with a three-piece system that incorporates a reusable and cleanable pump top and base with a refillable carton. The refill component features a gable top and straw-insertable orifice on the bottom. The system is constructed by inserting the top of the milk carton type refill into the hard bottom and spearing the carton, Capri-Sun-style, into the end of the refillable portion. The gable top cleverly funnels the liquid to the straw, reducing waste and earning sustainability hit points.

Editorial photograph
Editorial photograph
Editorial photograph

The squared carton design also makes transport, storage, and display efficient as well. The large swaths of the carton sides allow brands to strut as well, allowing designers to work at their most creative. The reusable bits can also be washed and sanitized, fulfilling sustainability and hygiene objectives with impeccable design.

Editorial photograph