Sustainable Healthcare Packaging for Roman
Client: Ro Healthcare
Year: 2019
Our Role: Industrial Design, Prototyping, Product Development & Production
Roman’s original unboxing experience served as its user’s first physical touch point with the brand. After its successful launch, the healthcare start up approached us for a new unboxing experience they could send to their subscribers for on-going orders.
We devised a simple and effective pouch design that acts as a vessel for Ro to ship any of their prescription types. As with the original Roman packaging, subtlety and discretion were key factors in designing the user’s on-going experience. The pouch was designed with scalability in mind, so it could become a canvas for any of the future brands under the Ro umbrella.
The branded card provides a landing spot for Ro’s signature prescription label sticker. The card has the ability to be strung through the zipper and loop tab, tethering them together to create a safety lock that prevents the zipper from opening without removing the string first.
SUSTAINABILITY
The entire bag is made of waterproof, tear-resistant and extremely durable Tyvek. The material is made from 100% recycled HDPE, and can be recycled at the end of the product’s lifecycle. The design encourages continued use rather than being thrown away after the prescription runs out.
Pouch is built to last, and designed to be reused.
Made from 100% recycled HDPE.
Significant reduction in water used during manufacturing from previous cardboard based packaging.
No adhesive chemicals are used in assembly, all parts are stitched together.
The flat design and a 90% reduction in weight from the previous packaging allow for efficiency in freight after production.
The flat lightweight design allows each pouch to be shipped to the customer in a recyclable mailer sleeve.
The design represents an estimated 90% reduction in Ro’s carbon footprint from the previous packaging design.
CIRCULAR PACKAGING
Tyvek is a recyclable material, but not by most curbside programs. We designed the pouch to fit in a standard envelope and ship with single standard stamp, allowing Ro’s members to easily mail the bag back if they would like. Ro can collect the bags and return them in batches to DuPont to be recycled into new products.
PRICE CONSCIOUS
The simple design reduces the materials and production processes from the initial packaging. We sized it to ship in a flat mailer that dramatically reduced Ro’s costs in shipping to their customers. Through these design decisions we reduced the unit cost by 70% and the shipping costs by 85%.
PROTOTYPING
Prototypes were created to simulate the pharmacist’s ability to quickly fill orders, and the user’s interaction with the pouch, prescription label, and medication. We wanted patients to read and digest the information on the prescription card, and without being overwhelmed to the point of ignoring it.
Photography by Takamasa Ota
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