TEAM
MY ROLE
DURATION
This project reimagines food delivery packaging through a sustainable material and system design approach. Developed during a 48-hour design hackathon, it addresses the rising crisis of single-use waste by creating a circular packaging ecosystem using a composite of rice husk and recycled HDPE (rHDPE). The final outcome includes a family of reusable container prototypes, a business viability model, and an AI-assisted recycling system — demonstrating how sustainability can be both practical and scalable.
RESEARCH
Approach
Insights
TOP INSIGHTS
User Persona
Primary users: Restaurant partners and delivery platforms — seeking cost-effective, durable, and compliant packaging that integrates easily into existing operations.
Secondary users: End consumers who appreciate eco-conscious design but value usability and aesthetics first.
→ Key insight: Sustainability should be seamless and invisible to the user — the system works in the background while the experience remains familiar.
INITIALS CHALLENGES
The great dilemma
DECIDING FACTORS
Designing
01
02
03
04
Flows
The core system flow traces the lifecycle:
Manufacture → Use → Return → AI Sorting → Recycling → Remolding → Reuse — forming a closed circular loop.
Design Decision 1:
Combining 50% rice husk with 50% recycled HDPE produced a durable, heat-resistant, oil-proof composite that’s half plastic, half plant fiber. This reduced virgin plastic consumption by 50% while adding natural texture and thermal insulation.
Design Decision 2:
The geometry optimization — hexagonal, tapered, and oval forms — achieved up to 16% less material use with better structural rigidity and stackability. Curved interiors minimized food residue, supporting reuse and hygiene.
