Tag Archives: reusable

This sustainable dish cleaning brush is infinitely reusable thanks to its replaceable bamboo bristles!

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In 2018, we produced 380 million tonnes of plastic, can you imagine how much that number has grown in the last three years especially during the pandemic where we saw a steep rise in the use of plastic? NOS had created the Everloop Toothbrush which was wildly successful, so they created a family member for it – the Everloop Dish Brush. Every single plastic toothbrush ever made still exists today in some form or another, either in a landfill or the ocean. That’s a pretty scary statistic when you imagine that there are more than 7 billion people on this planet using toothbrushes that they throw out every 3-4 months on average.

We eat more times than we brush, so it is natural that we use far more dish scrubbies, dish sponges, and dish brushes which just adds to the mounting plastic waste problem. With the Everloop dish brush’s design, you can continue to maximize the functionality of your product while reducing waste. The head of the brush has a concave lid mechanism that compresses the bristles against the inner part of the brush. The bristles are snapped into place and you can clean effortlessly. This concavity also works as a soap container and dosifier while you clean your tableware – can you hear the Monica Gellers of the world scream with joy at this?

To replace bristles, use any flat piece from your kitchen as a lever to open it and replace it with a new set of bristles. The body of the brush is made from recycled plastic collected from discarded accessories and the bristles are made from natural fibers (bamboo, castor beans, etc) just like the Everloop Toothbrush. After the bristles wear out, you can dispose of them without guilt because they have ZERO plastic. The bristles are 100% compostable compared to the disposable heads in the market which just add to plastic pollution. Each dish brush comes with 5 sets of bristles and you can buy more replacements later too. Even the packaging is made out of 100% compostable thermoformed paper pulp! Could this BE any more perfect?

Designer: NOS Design

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Razer’s new stainless steel reusable straw makes sustainability ‘sexy’!

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Why does a gaming tech company need to launch a reusable straw? I imagine it’s vertical integration of some weird sort, given how much time gamers spend sipping carbonated beverages. Or maybe there isn’t really any logic to it – like the time Tesla sold surfboards, or The Boring Company sold flamethrowers. The point is that logic aside, Razer’s unveiled a series of collapsible, portable, reusable, stainless-steel straws. They retail for $19.99, come with a cleaning brush, and are capped with a silicone tip so you don’t accidentally burn your lips off hot beverages.

The Razer Reusable Straw comes made from food-grade 304 stainless steel, with a telescopic design that allows it to be disassembled when not in use, for easy storage. When put together, the straw measures 230mm – optimally long enough for a Venti-size drink at Starbucks, although it isn’t diametrically wide enough for a McFlurry or Boba Tea (so don’t bother trying). For hot drinks, the anodized black straw comes with an acid-green silicone sleeve that prevents your lips from accidentally touching hot metal. The entire straw is infinitely reusable, and comes with its own cleaning brush for maintenance-purposes, all packaged in a nifty silicone carrying case with a carabiner, so you could strap your Reusable Straw right to your belt loop like EDC, or tuck it into your pocket and carry it with you everywhere you go.

Designer: Razer

This reusable face-mask comes with a built-in sensor that tells you when to change the filters

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The design community was quick to rise to the challenge of helping the world overcome the Coronavirus, but this came at a cost. Human consumption of plastic tripled in 2020 with the use of surgical face-masks, so designer Ollie Butt decided to combat both the virus and the trail of plastic trash the pandemic left behind. Ollie’s Face Mask (although conceptual) paves the way forward for an aesthetic, efficient, reusable gas mask that can actively filter air coming from the outside, while continuously measuring the quality of the air inside the mask. Equipped with a circuit board on the inside and a bunch of sensors (including one for sensing humidity), and an outward-facing LED strip, the Reusable Face Mask looks and feels cutting-edge.

The LED strip plays a dual role, adding a futuristic flair to the device while also allowing the mask to tell you when to change your filters. The humidity sensor on the inside can detect when the filters need replacing, and a simple plug-in-plug-out design detail lets you swap out old filters for new ones. The reusable mask comes with a silicone seal around the mouth, allowing it to fit comfortably while creating a tight seal, and around-the-head straps ensure you can wear the mask for long hours without worrying about ear-fatigue.

Designer: Ollie Butt

This 5-piece travel cutlery set has to be one of the most stylish ones I’ve ever seen

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Portability seems to be a very coincidental element of the Linden Travel Cutlery Set’s design. Minus the case, it looks like the kind of fine flatware you’d have in your house (and probably only take out when the guests come over), so the fact that you can slip them into a travel case and carry them around seems like a very interesting feature!

Inspired by the shape of leaves, Linden’s flatware boast of an organic design that embraces style more than a function-led form language. The cutlery kit comes with two spoons (a tablespoon and a dessert spoon), a fork, a knife, and a pair of chopsticks, packaged wonderfully in a steel case with a bamboo lid. The case is aptly sized to fit right into backpacks, making it easy to carry around, and the bamboo lid conveniently doubles up as a resting platform for the chopsticks when in use!

Created as a stylish, convenient, and reusable alternative to disposable plastic cutlery, the Linden Portable Cutlery Set hopes to spearhead the Bring Your Own Cutlery movement and reduce the tonnes of plastic waste entering landfills and our oceans each year. Combine that noble purpose with Linden’s stylish design and the three color options, and you’ve got yourself an absolute winner!

Designer: Linden

A removable pillbox + water bottle so you’ll never forget to take your daily supplements

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Back in 2018, Joop Opmeer, the young inventor behind the YOS bottle, noticed how his mother would forget to take her medications on time, sometimes skipping an entire day. It’s a task that’s easy to forget, but one that can have serious health consequences depending on the necessity of that medication. However, Joop’s mother isn’t the only one making these mistakes. In his home country, The Netherlands, 68% of people who take daily supplements or medication forget at least once a month. To make their lives slightly more convenient, Joop designed a portable pillbox that someone would be less likely to forget. This was the inspiration for the YOS bottle.

YOS, which stands for Your Organized Supplements, is a reusable water bottle with a detachable pill holder. The bottle holds 375ml and the pillbox has seven compartments (labeled for each day of the week). Although, if the containers are too small, YOS offers a larger, 4-compartment box as an alternative. The bottles also come in four vibrant colors, so you’ll want to take it everywhere you go. They are also dishwasher safe, which adds to their convenience.

The YOS is more than a clever, functional product. The company itself has a mission that buyers will feel good about supporting. First, YOS products are made with recyclable materials, helping to reduce waste and promote sustainability.  Second, a portion of their sales goes to a research foundation for pancreatic cancer research. So, in addition to getting a useful product, you are also supporting a business that helps its community.

Personally, as a younger person who doesn’t take daily medication, I still think this product would be useful in my life. For instance, refillable water bottles have grown more popular as more people decide to reduce their environmental footprint, especially within my age demographic. Also, I frequently hike and take boxing classes, and I may need an Advil if I overexert myself. Or, more likely, I would use the pillbox as a snack compartment, especially for trail mix. So, you can see that although the YOS bottle caters specifically to individuals who take supplements, its appeal is universal. After all, we all need water to survive.

Designer: Joop Opmeer

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This award-winning eco-friendly floss was designed to make flossing cost-effective, efficient and effortless!

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Sometimes we don’t realize but small parts of our routine tend to have a big environmental impact, for instance, floss is good for our teeth but it is terrible for the ocean and turns it into a plastic minefield. Most floss is made up of nylon which is biodegradable but another thing that makes it dangerous is that it is designed to not tear causing serious harm to ocean life. There are millions of miles of floss strings in the ocean and we need to switch to eco-friendly alternatives – there are a couple in the market but there is a demand for more innovative designs like the Phloss here.

Phloss is a refillable flossing aid that has a string suspended between two prongs. These prongs not only maintain the tension of the string but also reduce the effort required by your arms which makes flossing more effortless, efficient, and quick. Phloss was created to speed up the cleaning process without compromising on quality after the reduced dexterity. Since it is refillable, there is a waste management system designed for the compostable floss strings. “These refills are delivered to people using a subscription service, the used floss refills can be sent back to the manufacturer for industrial composting, utilizing waste material and following a circular economy,” elaborates Boyle. Flossing removes 80% of plaque from the teeth and is vital to our personal hygiene so it is essential to find a sustainable alternative instead of giving up this good habit. Dental products often have a short life span and Phloss aims to close one of its most notorious loops.

Boyle conducted research, where he dived into factors like user experience, sustainability, cost, and effectiveness of existing floss alternatives like Quip’s refillable floss, oral irrigator, dental floss, interdental brush, and floss pick. After addressing the pain points, he took the best parts of all these existing alternatives to craft Phloss and was mindful of making it an inclusive design. He then created several prototypes before landing on a final version which had an ergonomic build, smooth curves, good grip, and clean aesthetics that didn’t distract from its purpose. The same aesthetic mood board was also applied to the packaging of the refills because it is an important part of the overall product-service, the success of the product depends on every detail of the user experience and interaction.

Phloss’ aim was to make the flossing accessible and desirable while being eco-conscious. Boyle’s ‘take back’ system gives the manufacturers valuable compost for a range of agricultural applications. It is designed for mass manufacturing which makes it easier for people to quickly switch to eco-friendly options. The packaging will also reflect its goal to be eco-friendly and the product will come in a fully recyclable cardboard tube while refills will arrive in compostable envelopes. There are so many little changes we can make that go beyond the bamboo toothbrushes or reusable cups to truly be a step closer to living sustainably. Understanding this, Phloss also won the Joseph Joseph Brilliantly Useful Design Award at New Designers Awards 2020!

Designer: Charlie Boyle

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Flexible Origami-inspired bottle folds down to a compact, pocketable size!

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There’s a certain, undeniable convenience to the plastic bottle. It’s easy to just take off the shelf, drink from, and then throw away once you’re done. You don’t need to worry about carrying a bulky bottle along with you that occupies the same amount of space, even when empty. The convenience of plastic is addictive, but it comes at a price. There’s a garbage island the size of Texas floating around in the pacific sea, COVERED with plastic bottles we used and threw away without batting an eyelid. Plastic bottles are preferred because they’re more convenient than carrying your own bulky empty bottles around with you, but the Origami Bottle may have a solution to that convenient problem.

Designed to be reusable, but more importantly, be collapsible, the Origami Bottle folds down to 20% of its original size when not in use. Small enough to easily fit into any bag without occupying much space, the Origami Bottle neatly folds down to a nice, portable puck that’s easy and convenient to carry around. When you need to fill it up, the bottle opens up to a full size of 25oz (750ml).

Made from a food-safe non-toxic TPE, the Origami bottle is characterized by its network of creases that cover the bottle’s sides. These creases act as fold lines, allowing the bottle to collapse and expand whenever you want it, but here’s where the Origami bottle’s design shines through. When entirely expanded, the bottle remains rigid and upright, thanks to the Origami bottle’s curved walls which become robust when the bottle’s opened out. When you need to fold the bottle down, just unscrew the cap and push against the horizontal crease lines and the bottle goes back to its small, portable form factor.

The bottle comes with a spill-proof leakproof cap along with an integrated carry-ring that lets you suspend it from your backpacks. Perfect for hot beverages as well as cold drinks, the Origami bottle can be used as a regular bottle during your day-to-day outings as well as while traveling outdoors. Aside from helping take plastic bottles out of circulation, the Origami is made from a proprietary material called Arnitel Eco, allowing it to be “closed-loop recyclable”, which means the bottle’s materials can be 100% recycled to the same quality. Pretty neat, eh? Did I also mention they come in a bunch of colors, and since they’re collapsible they’re also ridiculously easy to clean??

Designer: DiFOLD

Bubble tea lovers finally get a reusable straw that opens up for easy cleaning!

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If you are someone using plastic straws in 2020, you need to look up photos of baby turtles and imagine how they feel with plastic in their stomach. Scientists estimate 437 million to 8.3 billion plastic straws pollute the coastlines around the world. So our plastic pollution problem is pretty huge and to be specific how huge, the Great Garbage Patch in the Pacific Ocean is twice the size of Texas. Let’s start making a difference by decreasing single-use plastic usage – one of them being straws!

One bubble straw is designed using 100% recyclable material and is specially created for being bubble-tea friendly. I haven’t seen a paper or metal straw that is wide enough for bubble tea which makes it harder for that demographic to make the switch but not anymore. This straw by Green One has 1.3 cm diameter and measures 21 cm length. What makes it stand apart is that you can actually open it up to clean it and you don’t require any brushes! The design team wanted to create an alternative to the existing eco-friendly straws which was easier to use not only in terms of cleaning but also in piercing the drink – paper straws are too soft and metal straws are too hard. The straw is also super lightweight and wide enough to slurp up the bubble tea pearls which most existing reusable straws don’t accommodate for.

If you don’t want to rinse it by hand, you can simply put it in the dishwasher for cleaning. One bubble straw is made from 100% recyclable food-safe TPE which can be further recycled whenever you are done with it. This is the first step to decrease your single-use plastic consumption tremendously. It is eco-friendly, non-toxic, anti-dust, tasteless, and safe for use in hot and cold drinks. Green One is an HK based company dedicated to developing sustainable products and it shows in the straws packaging as well – it is made from eco-friendly paper with soy ink! Apart from creating alternatives, the brand is also organizing a ‘One Straws’ recycling program where the public can bring their used reusable straws to be cleaned before they are sent to recycling factories in order to educate people and help them reduce waste.

Designer: Green One HK

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A sustainable takeout box to save 500 years of recycling styrofoam!

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In 2017 while I was living in California, the local government made the laws around using styrofoam (polystyrene) even more strict and all restaurants around my office stopped doing take-outs for a short while due to lack of a better alternative for the cheap boxes – just one example of how dependent we are as a society on styrofoam that we are turning a blind eye to its toxic effects. Designer Ross Dungan wants to solve this problem with a creative solution without destroying the cultural icon – the clamshell takeout box – of the Netflix generation.

Styrofoam has a 24-hour lifespan but it is formed with materials that can last for 500 years, can you imagine the landfills at the rate we consume this product? “We need to stop and think about the environmental costs of our lifestyle,” says Dungan when talking about the notoriously single-use packaging that has been adopted worldwide. The box itself is so widely recognized that is has transcended continents and languages, so Dungan’s design aims to leverage its easy recall value while delivering a stronger message on sustainable living.

The product is rightly called Leftovers and hopes to be a design that disrupts normalization of polystyrene before it can become a mass-scale direct solution to the problem, the first step is to educate. For convenience and functionality, it is also dishwasher safe and recyclable. The redesigned box has a stainless steel body that enhances its functionality as a reusable food container while also bringing attention to how one small change can reduce the amount in our trash can. This visible change on an individual level can lead to a positive change in behavior without feeling like it was a drastic turn from what the general society is used to – this makes it easier to adapt to new habits quicker.

Designer: Ross Dungan.

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