Companies and manufacturers around the world are increasingly concerned about sustainability, which grows hand in hand with environmental awareness. One of the major critical areas of this change is that of packaging: and this for two reasons. First, the materials we use have a negative impact on the ecosystem. Second, the materials we use have a negative impact on our body. They end up in landfills and stay there, but a part of them (especially if we're talking about microplastics) stays with us, and causes damage.
Different companies address the problem through innovation and design, e Tomorrow Machine is among these.
A juice with the peel
Swedish startup has created a prototype biodegradable bottle called GoneShells, made from a material based on potato starch. The bottle features a water-resistant bio-based barrier both inside and out, to preserve the liquid it contains. Once its contents are finished, however, the biodegradable bottle can be peeled "in a spiral", just like when we (with patience) cut an apple, and its material can be eaten, composted or dissolved in water.
In essence, the packaging begins its decomposition process as soon as it is peeled, even if the Tomorrow Machine founder, Anna Glansen, doesn't reveal many details about this process. In any case, the designer is keen to give some elements: first of all, the absolute absence of synthetic components. Secondly, the possibility of producing this biodegradable bottle with already existing plants.
Biodegradable "potato" bottle, some considerations
I find interesting this attempt of materials design which aims to "bypass" the landfill system (afflicted by chronic breathlessness on composting plants). In the past we have told of similar ones, even if less evolved. Guy Bruk, partially peelable. OR notpla, seaweed-based, all to eat. Personally I would not eat the "peel" of this biodegradable bottle (or similar ones) even under torture, because before reaching me it could come into contact with anything. However, I appreciate those who rinse the fruit a little and then eat it with the peel, maybe I'm the problem.
But I would compose this material, yes. This is to say that I find it very useful. Of course, as an advertiser I find something to do: to name one, the product labels. It's about packaging, isn't it? Should they "engrave" texts and graphics on the peel, or find a way to apply them without glue? Luckily it's not my problem.
Maybe the main obstacle to such a biodegradable bottle is just the price: I'm sure that at the moment it would be very high. Of course, PET bottles certainly cost less, but they could do us an absurd harm, which we haven't even begun to understand. In the end, the concept remains: why do we consume products that have a life of a few hours, and close them in packages that potentially last for decades or centuries?
The goodness of our future will also be seen from our ability to "peel" this question.
