Devised around the principle idea of reducing packaging waste while creating a stylish water flask, the team at DiFOLD has designed the origami bottle.
Foldable, reusable, and recyclable, the product utilizes collapsible design technology developed by petar zaharinov – co-founder of DiFOLD. Compact when folded and stable when unfolded, the origami technology can reduce the volume of empty containers by 80-90%, leading to radical logistical optimization and savings in fuel and CO2 emissions.
Through this first product, the founders of DiFOLD – Radina Popova and Petar Zaharinov – aim to demonstrate the potential of this design technology and build a strong community behind the origami bottle, allowing them to move to the reusable packaging industry where this technology can have a bigger impact. What makes DiFOLD’s patent-pending folding technology different from others is the reduction of polygons along the circumference of the tube. They are reduced to just four. In this way the structure works in two very different ways. Firstly, it keeps its round shape and behaves like a non-foldable structure when unfolded. Secondly, it works like a rigid origami mechanism in its folded and semi-folded state.
In order to move from one state to the other, the structure needs to be pressed on particular spots along its creases. Another huge advantage is that it can work not only with cylindrical shapes but also with conical ones and mixtures between them. The designers propose that almost every shape and container can become collapsible using this concept.
DiFOLD’s origami bottle exploits the most simple triangular pattern that allows folding in just three steps. This makes the product extremely practical and compact and at the same time gives it a minimalist and stylish design. It is made of a very high-end and durable thermoplastic (TPC, TPE-E) polymer – arnitel and its bio-based version – arnitel eco, both by DSM. It can be recycled multiple times without significant loss of quality and has been granted a cradle to cradle certification in 2013. It is also food-safe, BPA-free and has an operational temperature range from -30°c to +100°c.
The bottle is designed not only for at least 5 years of intensive usage but also for easier closed-loop recycling by avoiding hybrid materials and difficult to separate overmolded parts. Furthermore, the duo plans to have policies to collect old bottles through its future distribution channels and turn them into new products. DiFOLD launched the origami bottle on kickstarter on june 16, 2020, getting it fully-funded in just 4 hours.
Project info
project name: origami bottle
product design and invention: petar zaharinov of DiFOLD
art director: robert shunev
photography: yanne golev
Originally appeared on: DesignBoom
Main photo credit: Yanne Goley
