Packaging of the World Digest 2: Brown is the New Black

Innovation and sustainability. Recycled paper. A natural plain brown look that says "Forget plastic, colors and chemicals." These concepts and student projects demonstrate the possibilities of this rapidly growing trend in packaging design. Here are some examples we found on Packaging of the World.

An example of young people leading the way by thinking about their own future. The designers are Yang Guo, Qiaoge Yang & Wenju Wu Project, design students at Jiangnan University in Wuxi, China.

Compare this to the plastic scoops – most of which end up in landfills or oceans – that come in virtually every box of washing powders.

This wonderfully simple innovation prevents that waste and uses no petroleum resources. Nothing is taken from the earth, nothing returned: This is the essence of sustainable thinking.

Now compare the undigital feel of this soft brown recycled paper to the bright harsh digital colors of most washing powders on the market now. Which one says, “Take me home, live with me in your house”?

See the original post on Packaging of the World.

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To encourage more people to do their shopping on foot or bicycle instead of in a car, here is an improvement over a common simple design by the OGATA UG Agency in Hamburg, Germany.

The problem this solves is how to free your hands after shopping for the trip home, wither walking or riding a bicycle.

The strong straps encircle the bag and essentially turn it into a back pack.

Made from recycled paper and meant to be reused, it is a sustainable, design-thinking solution.

It is easier to carry, and it certainly looks and feels nicer than this:

The Point: Simple, plain, undigital, recycled, livable, innovative, sustainable. We have been watching this plain brown recycled trend grow and it shows no signs of slowing down. Keep an eye on the shelves.