Food delivery and takeaway are on the rise due to continued confinement within our homes.

London-based studio PriestmanGoode’s Zero Takeaway Packaging concept arrives at the right time to help us rethink the environmental impact of the convenience culture. The studio has designed a range of bento-style food containers and a bag for takeaway deliveries based on circular design principles. Created as part of the Wallpaper* Re-Made Project, bringing together the best and brightest designers, architects, artists, inventors, scientists, engineers, makers, and manufacturers to re-make the physical world as a smarter, kinder and more sustainable place. PriestmanGoode’s new design concept aims to encourage positive behaviour change by creating packaging that is seen as a reusable, desirable object, rather than disposable.

Online food delivery and takeaway is a market worth over $53 billion a year globally. This is according to figures released in 2019, before the global Covid-19 pandemic. The latter has already affected the takeaway industry, with thousands of restaurants in the UK signing up to delivery platforms since March as the lockdown came into force and they tried to adapt to new revenue models to ensure the survival of their business. Between this, and the continued rise in the convenience of online ordering through platforms such as Deliveroo and UberEats in the UK, or GrubHub in the USA, means we will keep seeing an increase in takeaway food culture.

OBJECTIVES AND CONSIDERATIONS BEHIND THE DESIGN CONCEPT

At the heart of PriestmanGoode’s new concept in re-thinking takeaway culture are:

• The return of reusables - creating products with value and creating a system whereby consumers are rewarded for positive behaviour

• Sustainable materials - alternatives to plastics, working with natural materials wherever possible

• Zero waste - alternative biodegradable solutions to clingfilm to combat leaks and spills

• Universal packaging - bento box-style containers instantly halve the amount of packaging required, by removing lids. The packaging is designed to be transferable between restaurants

• Dining experience - creating packaging that can be used for presentation, contributing to creating a sense of occasion at home

• Improved delivery quality - temperature control, delivery efficiency

RESEARCHING AND SELECTING MATERIAL PARTNERS

In order to arrive at the resulting design, the team conducted extensive research into food-safe materials that could replace the ubiquitous plastic containers that are currently in use and explored options to replace single-use plastics. Materials had to meet a range of criteria from heatproof, lightweight, or recyclable to insulating. Maria Kafel-Bentkowska, Head of CMF, explains: “We looked at a broad spectrum of materials, from those that are at an early stage of development, to commercially available materials made from byproducts, and low impact materials derived from nature, that will either biodegrade or can be reused.”

To achieve the various elements of the new concept, PriestmanGoode selected the following materials and material partners:

• Bioplastic for the containers - made from by-products from the cacao industry. This material has been created by designer Paula Nerlich

• Mycellium for insulation - created by design studio Ty Syml, mycellium is a material that is grown using waste from the food industry to create a lightweight material ideally suited for insulation in the takeaway delivery bag

• Lexcell by Yulex for the food container and bag handles - 100% plant-based, neoprene-free specialty natural rubber material. The natural rubber is sourced only from plantations with Forest Stewardship Counsel (FSC) certification.

• Nuatan by Crafting Plastics for the bag (outer) - made from 100% renewable raw resources, biodegradable, can withstand high temperatures and would withstand the pressure if dropped

• Piñatex for the bag lid - Piñatex is a natural leather alternative made from cellulose fibers extracted from pineapple leaves

• PriestmanGoode also selected material designer Margarita Talep, who has created algae-based materials to replace single-use or disposable plastics. These could be used to replace cling-film, which is currently used to prevent spills while in transit.

Though the final design showcases a sleek, minimalistic design, an unthinkable amount of consideration and research has gone into delivering a sustainable design solution that would be welcomed by consumers into their homes.

HOW THE CONCEPT PROMOTES A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

The idea behind this new concept is that customers would pay a small fee for the packaging upon ordering the food, which would be reimbursed on their next delivery when the containers are returned to the delivery service provider. The containers would then be washed by the next restaurant/food provider before being used again.

Consumers would be given incentives, such as discounts, for returning takeaway packaging into the system, a circular model that has been proven to help quickly introduce positive behavioural changes.

DESIGNING A SUSTAINABLE AND SAFE OPTION

Working with circular models proves to be difficult especially during the global pandemic, but Kafel-Bentkowska emphasizes that “we cannot focus on hygiene at the expense of the environment. We have been talking to our material partners about antimicrobial additives that could be applied to our selected materials to enhance safety, without having a negative impact on the environment.”

Rowan adds: “It’s a big issue, and more complex than just the packaging that we use, as we also need to improve the entire waste management infrastructure so that it can better cope with the disposal of sustainable materials. But it’s imperative that we move forward, that we continue to innovate, to push the envelope, to question, to encourage positive behaviour change, and that we move towards a circular economy.”

Renders courtesy of PriestmanGoode

Photography by Carolyn Brown