Four Product Design students nominated in the Beyond Plastic Awards

Four Ravensbourne BA (Hons) Product Design students  have been nominated in the Beyond Plastic Awards. The students are among 85 nominees who have displayed solutions to create a world with less plastic.

Students Toby Robson, Charlie Cavedaschi, Holly Grounds and Jennifer Chu were nominated for the Beyond Plastic Award which looks to highlight fantastic eco-responsible product and packaging designs. Beyond Plastic is an environmental initiative on a mission to remove single-use plastic from packaging, and minimise the devastating impact plastic has on the planet. Nominees are tasked with creating ideas that eliminate single-use plastic, with the chance to win cash prizes of up to €1000.

The judges searched for unique, thought-provoking and inventive designs. The criteria for nominees include designs that are eco-friendly, useful, beautifully imagined and interesting. Each nominee demonstrated innovation and creativity, with sustainability at the core of their ideas.

Charlie Cavedaschi’s ‘Shower Pod’ product was inspired by the fact that bathroom waste accounts for approximately 40% of total landfill waste.  The solid spheres of bathroom washing products are wrapped in water-soluble film called MonoSol. The Shower Pods take 3-8 seconds to dissolve, create zero waste and eliminate the need for large plastic bottles. The design allows the shower pods to be hung beside the shower, with the perfect portion easily accessible.

When speaking about his nomination, Charlie said, "I was delighted to find out that I had been nominated for the Beyond Plastic Award. As sustainability is now more in focus than ever before, it was extremely rewarding to have one of my designs recognised for playing an important role in helping to save the planet.

Fellow student Holly Grounds created edible, dissolvable ramen packaging for ramen noodles. The design includes flavourings and spices set in an edible film around the noodles which eliminates the need for single-use plastic. During development, Holly found that compared to a normal packet of ramen noodles, her design eliminated unnecessary packaging and led to a much quicker cooking time.

When discussing the design, Holly explained that, “sustainability was considered at every stage of the project. The bio-based starch film is dissolvable and manufactured in an environmentally friendly way, by heating the natural ingredients and allowing the mixture to set in a mould to form the film and the outer paper packaging is recyclable.”

Fellow student, Toby Robson, used bio-degradable seaweed packaging made by Notpla for sachets of milk. Toby's solution replaces the individual milk pots that are often used in Hotels and at functions. His container preserves the quality of milk and extends the life of the product by creating separate portions. Toby explained, “I needed a way to hold milk portions that would not be effected by the liquid, this restraint was a challenging parameter but the whole experience was rewarding when I reached my final outcome.”

Student Jennifer Chu designed Porzioni Di Pasta, a concept to add portion control to carton board packaging. The tear-away strip included in the packaging allows users to pour out the recommended portion of 75 grams of pasta. She designed a range of containers that work with a variety of different pastas. Her designs were inspired by the Memphis art movement and their futuristic colour palettes. Jennifer said “I think that the opportunity for young designers to enter competitions like these are important to put yourself and your work out there. I encourage others to enter as many as possible!”

It is a great accomplishment to be chosen as finalists in a global design competition. We congratulate all of the students involved and wish them the best with their future endeavours.