WHY THROW IT AWAY? EMOTIONAL-ECO-DESIGN FOR NON-DISPOSABLE AND REUSABLE PACKAGING

Abstract

This poster is part of a research that aims to contribute to reduce the massive production of disposable packaging, from a holistic point of view, in order to re-signify this type of artefact. Analysing different types of ancestral ways of packing, Design intends to promote the extension of packaging life cycle through its reusability and, therefore, increasing environment sustainability.

Full text

WHY THROW IT AWAY?
EMOTIONAL-ECO-DESIGN FOR
NON-DISPOSABLE AND REUSABLE
PACKAGING
This poster is part of a research that aims to contribute to reduce the massive production
of disposable packaging, from a holistic point of view, in order to re-signify this type of
artefact. Analysing different types of ancestral ways of packing, Design intends to promote
the extension of packaging life cycle through its reusability and, therefore, increasing
environment sustainability.
Relevance From the second half of the nineteenth
century, according to Twede (2016:16), packaging
went from anonymous bulk container to a domestic
and consumer appealing dimension. In the same
period “the term
packaging
has evolved, from
package
(a container) to
packaging
(a container that
has written communication about specific contents)
(DuPuis e Silva, 2011:10), duly sealed with dimension
and weight indications and quality guaranteed by the
manufacture or producer. This was a period of
“profound paradigm shift” that allowed the
“democratization of consumption” (Tedlow
apud
Twede, 2016: 117) and, consequently, a massive
presence of packaging in everyday use around the
world. According to Circular Economy principles, we
believe that it is possible to design packaging taking
into account it extended use or intentional reuse
(European Commission, 2014: 2).
Research Question How can packaging design –
artefacts that usually finish their function at the time
they are purchased or their content consumed – offer
a longer relationship with people, promoting a non-
disposable use?
Multiple Case Study | Inspiration Many researchers
argue that packaging sustainability is going through
a process of redesign (Georgakoudis, Tipi & Bamford,
2018: 1) as an effort to reduce environmental impact;
“emotional durability design”, as Chapman (2009: 35)
defines it, may increase the relationship resilience
between consumer and product. Analysing the
multiple case study – ancestral containers/ways of
packing – considered relevant for their versatility,
non-disposal use, functional and aesthetic
importance, will allow us to define and design the
practical project. Its development will have Grestel,
Produtos Cerâmicos SA, partnership to design non-
disposable packaging for their ceramic tableware
sets.
From a contemporary point of view, and according to
the current expectations and needs (Figure 1),
ChinesePorcelainTea SetWith WickerBasket (19th
century), Japanese
furoshiki
wrapping technique (8th
century), Japanese
Kaidan Tansu
stair/dresser
combination (16th century), Portuguese“Sugar-Box
furniture”(17th century, Ilha da Madeira) and
Shahsan
Mafrash
caucasian textile trunk (19th-20th century),
are seen as a source of inspiration and subject of
research.
Final Considerations "Cultural and historical
consciousness are woven into the DNA of any
worthwhile product," says Jongerius and
Schouwenberg (2015: 1). It is from this genetic
inheritance that this research will develop its
practical project: as Latour (2008: 5) advocates, a
redesign process, from which the "curative" action
makes the solution more commercial, more usable,
more sustainable or any other requirement.
Raquel Gomes
Researcher
Universidade de Aveiro
raquelbgomes@ua.pt
Cláudia Albino
Supervisor
Universidade de Aveiro
c.albino@ua.ptn
Keywords
Emotional-Eco-Design,
Nomadism,
Multicontextual
packaging,
Product longevity,
Sustainability.
Chapman, J. (2009). Design for (Emotional) Durability,
Design Issues
, 25(4))
Comissão Europeia (2014). A Economia Circular:
Interligação, criação e conservação de valor. Bruxelas:
União Europeia.
DuPuis, S. and Silva, J. (2011).
Package design
workbook: the art and science of successful
packaging
. Gloucester: Rockport Publishers.
Georgakoudis, E. D., Tipi, N. S. and Bamford, C. G.
(2018). Packaging redesign – benefits for the
environment and the community,
International Journal
of Sustainable Engineering
,
Jongerius, H. and Schouwenberg, L. (2015). Beyond the
New–A Search for Ideals in Design.
http://beyondthenew.jongeriuslab.com/download/
Beyond-the-new-manifest.pdf
Latour, B. (2008). Cautious Prometheus? A Few Steps
Toward a Philosophy of design (with Special Attention
to Peter Sloterdijk). In Fiona Hackne, Jonathn Glynne &
Viv Minto (Editors).
Proceedings of the 2008 Annual
International Conference of the Design History Society
,
Falmouth, 3-6 September 2009, e-books, Universal
Publishers.
Twede, D. (2016). History of Packaging. In D. G. Brian
Jones & Mark Tadajewski (Eds.).
The Routledge
Companion to Marketing History
. London and New
York: Routledge.
Figure 1. From left to right:
1. ChinesePorcelainTea SetWith
WickerBasket (19th century),
2. Japanese furoshiki wrapping
technique (8th century))
3. Japanese Kaidan Tansu stair/
dresser combination (16th century),
4. Portuguese“Sugar-Box
furniture”(17th century, Ilha da
Madeira)
5. Shahsan Mafrash caucasian
textile trunk (19th -20th century)
Utagawa Kunisada, Edo Period
The Metropolitan Museum of Art