360 Paper Bottle

We can’t tell what’s cooler about this bottle: the neat detachable cap, the clever design, or the fact that it’s made from 100 percent renewable resources and fully recyclable. The company says it can stand up to any kind of liquid, so imagine the possibilities. Tea, organic juice, soy milk – these bad boys can be used to package all kinds of beverages. They’re also designed to be sold in six or 16 count packages, so they’re perfect for keeping water on hand in disaster kits or in the fridge for those grab-something-and-run hectic mornings.

Volute Wine Bottles

We’re not wine snobs, but we do love, love, love sipping a good Bordeaux from a pretty single serve bottle. Volute amps up the class factor with their gorgeous line of wine bottles made from 100 percent recyclable aluminum. At around $4 each, they won’t break the bank and they add a touch more luxury to a long soak in the tub with a good book. Sure, you can open a full size bottle the next time you want a little tipple, but if you don’t drink it all you’ll be pouring grapey goodness down the drain.

Andrew Kim’s Coke Bottle Redesign

If sneaking a soda now and then is your guilty pleasure, you’ll at least look like a million buck swigging from this fancy Coke bottle redesign concept. Chucking the curvy bottle we all know and love, Kim went with a square shape for better stacking on store shelves. The bottom has a recessed area to accommodate the cap from the bottle underneath. And when you’re done drinking, the bottle’s built-in ribbing lets you quickly collapse it before chucking it into the nearest recycling bin. Shrinking the bottle size before disposal means less space is taken up in the recycling truck – just another thing you can feel good about while indulging in a tall, cold one.

1800 Tequila

Yeah, so we’re circling back to the booze again. What can we say, we like a good cocktail, especially a frosty margarita or cool mojito from 1800 Tequila poured from eco-friendly containers. Each pre-made beverage mix package is chillable, lightweight, and crunchable when empty so you can flatten it before it hits your recycling bin.

Vapur Reusable Flexible Water Bottle

Speaking of crushable, Ampac Packaging company has developed a water bottle that you can smash flat to stash in a purse or gym bag, then perks back to life when you fill it with water. It holds up to 16 oz. of liquid and rolls up to the size of a compact mirror. The BPA-free co-polyester bottles come in a set of four and can be cleaned in the dishwasher between uses.

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Banana leaves – they serve as more than just undies for Adam and Eve.

In fact, Israeli designer and packaging innovator Tal Marco of Eco Way proposes that banana leaves can be used as an eco-friendly alternative to modern day to-go packaging.

Unlike many of today’s plastic take away containers that are petrol based and non-biodegradable, banana leaves are 100 percent natural and easily compostable. They’re ubiquitous in many countries, meaning they’re cheap and easy to come by. And because banana leaves are highly flexible and have a naturally waxy composition, they’re a low-tech solution to sealing anything from a greasy burrito to a bag of cheddar cheese popcorn.

Borrowing from ancient food preservation techniques found in India and South East Asia, Marco’s design is far from revolutionary. But his vision of adapting old world concepts to modern day design is laudable.

It may be a while before this practice goes mainstream, so do your part to cut down on your plastic consumption. Package your food in reusable containers, buy snacks sold in biodegradable bags and dream about a world in which one day banana leaves, much like they did for Adam and Eve, will have you covered in more ways than one.

Image: minds-eye

The post A Packaging Paradise – Eco Way’s Banana Leaf Packaging appeared first on EcoSalon.

Global consumers want fresher ingredients, increased health benefits and more environmentally-friendly packaging according a new study recently conducted by Ipsos Marketing.

The results, based on an online interview survey involving 1000 people from around the world, show that many consumers are making their food purchasing decisions based on health, wellness and environmental factors.

In the United States, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions, fresh ingredients topped the list, while in Latin America health benefits and environmentally-friendly packaging were more important than fresh ingredients.

All, however, indicated that convenience and easy preparation rated least in their concerns when making food purchasing decisions.

Let’s hope these results challenge food marketers to look more to healthy fresh ingredients delivered to us in sustainable packaging. (Will anyone miss impossible blister packs and triple-sealed products?)

Image: Sister72

The post Consumers Want Fresh, not Fast at the Grocery Store appeared first on EcoSalon.