PingMag, out of Japan, recently released an issue containing an article on Japanese Packaging Design. Supposedly they received some nasty comments, regarding a previously released article, about the excessive waste caused by Japanese packaging. So, thinking to do the right thing, PingMag set out to show more “eco-friendly” designs.
We recently introduced you to the intriguing beauty of Japanese gift packaging (yummy!). But, beloved readers, so many of you were nagging in your comments about the amount of waste produced (very true!) that we had to come up with a different approach. So PingMag proudly presents some of the most interesting objects that just nabbed one of the annual Good Design Awards for functional and eco-friendly design.
The Good Design Award, also called G-Mark, is Japan’s most internationally-renowned design prize. This year, 2,945 items were submitted, and over one third of them received an award: 1,043 pieces! But let’s cut back on numbers and focus on some favourites: Since they are all domestic, they might give us some further insight into aspects of contemporary Japanese packaging design.
I think PingMag has the right idea, trying to promote products that are “eco-friendly”, but I fail to see how the items that won the G-Mark, would be put into that category.
Here is an example of what Japan’s Good Design Award, considers an “eco-friendly” package design:
When it comes to food, reuse and refill are delicate matters in terms of hygiene.
So, how to make ecological behaviour more appealing in this field? Here we go: Eco-Style Cup Noodles combine finance and fun: For once, refills are cheaper than ordinary cups noodles. Second, the reusable cup can be customised into a cute “My Noodle Cup” with various jackets! Why not?!
Eco = Fun! Customise your reusable cup with numerous
jackets or even create your own individual one.
Apart from the excessive packaging, the “Eco-Style Cup Noodle” has individual sheets of stickers. The right idea but the wrong approach.
GAIA GRAPHICS & ASSOCIATES …creative by nature www.gaiagraphics.com
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