packet of Hollywood chewing gums: a small plastic sphere 8 cm in diameter containing 60 chewing gums. Like many plastic containers, this sphere is made out of several varieties of plastics: the body is Polypropylene (PP); the opening system on top, more flexible, is surely Polyethylene high density (PEHD), for enabling multiple closing/opening; the printed film around the body which identifies the product and shows regulatory indications, is in Polyvinyl chloride (PVC). If I spend around half an hour to consume one chewing gum, the plastic packaging, which is not recyclable, will surely take hundreds of years to degrade. This exemplifies the controversies of plastic consumption.â (Quote from the book Le grand debordement, pourquoi les dechets nous envahissent, comment les reduire by Elodie Fradet, Annick Lacout, Pascal de Rauglaudre, Rue de lâechiquier, 2014)
This same story is relevant for plastic packaging containing cosmetics and healthcare products. In the cosmetics sector, the containers are especially problematic; usually their unique function is to attract the consumerâs attention. Nepenthes is a manifesto against the plastic packaging overconsumption of todayâs society. Nepenthes is a revolutionary packaging system which is made entirely out of a single flexible plastic and recyclable material. Nepenthes is a durable packaging which can contain shower gel, shampoo or conditioner. When the content ends, the container can be refilled or if the user wants to throw it away, that is not a problem as long as he throws it in the recycling bin! Nepenthes is fully recyclable. Yes, there is no need to separate the top parts from the bottom part when the container reaches the recycling centre (like it currently happens). The container is carefully designed in order to keep the performance of an existing body and haircare productâs container. However, instead of having different parts made of different materials, Nepenthes changes its materialâs properties (thickness and porosity) to keep the same performance.
Designed by Marilu Valente – Merged Vertice
