Good Thinking

360 Paper water bottle offers renewable alternative to plastic

360 Paper water bottle offers renewable alternative to plastic
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A funky design with a clever cap makes the environmentally friendly 360 Paper Water bottle very appealing.
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A funky design with a clever cap makes the environmentally friendly 360 Paper Water bottle very appealing.
Brandimage's 360 Paper Water Bottle is an environmentally-friendly solution to using plastic bottles.
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Brandimage's 360 Paper Water Bottle is an environmentally-friendly solution to using plastic bottles.
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Most people realize that plastic water bottles are bad for the environment, not only because research suggests it takes 2000 times more energy to produce bottled water than tap water but also because so many of them are not recycled. You may choose to filter your own water or just go without, but a new environmentally friendly solution may mean you can continue to drink bottled water and keep a clear conscience.

The 360 Paper Water bottle is an innovative, single-serve water bottle made from 100% renewable material - yes, it's paper - or more specifically bamboo or palm leaves. Made from sustainable sheet stock such as bamboo, the bottle features a lid which peels off into two pieces, one piece keeps the top clean from dust or other contaminants and the other can be reattached to seal the bottle. As the bottles can be produced on a single line and bundled for shipping, extra packaging can be eliminated, making this bottle a very cool environmental solution to reducing the number of plastic bottles.

As the name suggests, the bottle is made from recyclable paper - or sustainable sheet stock such as bamboo or palm leaves- if you want to be more precise. Very clever idea indeed, but there’s more to this innovation than meets the eye. The design of the bottle allows for self bundling, which eliminates the need for separate six pack packaging or extra shipping containers and therefore reduces the cost on the environment.

The 360 Bottle was designed by New York designer and inventor, Jim Warner.

"Here in the US 60 million plastic bottles are thrown out each year,” Mr Warner said.

“Only 14 per cent are recycled. I wanted to create something that challenged the ‘norms’ and was sustainable, elegant and practical.”

Made with 90-95% reduction of polymer, the single-serve water bottle is made from two pieces which are fused together by a micro-thin PLA (polylactic acid) which provides a liquid and air barrier. Rather than being unscrewed, the lid is peeled off and separated. One half becomes a drinking unit which is plug-fitted into the bottle to keep the bottle dust-free. The other half is attached to a finger loop and is used to re-seal the bottle.

The manufacturing process allows the bottles to be produced in a single line. They can then by bundled together in a group of six or more and can be carried as one unit by the finger loops. Therefore, additional packaging can be eliminated. The bottles can also be prepared for shipping in large groups of four, using eco-friendly material, without having to use further outer packaging.

This design has taken out INNOVIC’s International Next Big Thing Award for 2009 - a global competition to find and showcase the best new Australian and international innovations.

View gallery - 12 images
8 comments
8 comments
Neon
Nice Idea, but i don't think it will catch on. Half of buying bottled water, is presenentation. A bottle of "crystal clear" water. or a bottle of Pink paper mache. Also there is no secure top, that can rival the scew cap.
gormanwvzb
This is a really great idea! The use of sustainable, and biodegradable material is brilliant, as well as efficient. Additionally, palm leaves and bamboo can be grown in under-developed nations, thus providing an income stream.
I would like to make one \"correction\" about plastic (PET) water bottles, they are being successfully used in third world for creating potable water. I read an article titled \"Solar Saves Lives\" http://economicefficiency.blogspot.com/2009/06/solar-saves-lives.html and it spells out the process of SODIS (Solar Water Disinfection). The plastic water bottles absorb the sun\'s rays and over a day\'s time, kill all of the pathogens in water, stored in the bottle.
Great article, and I can\'t wait to see paper water bottles!
Gadgeteer
It would be great if this could be used for other beverages like juices, but as you noted, bottling and transporting water is extremely wasteful even if the bottle itself was waste-free. So much for drinking it with a clear conscience. I'll stick with my Nalgene HDPE bottle filled from the tap, thank you.
Rajesh Vinaykyaa
The product is a real breakthrough in terms of water packaging which is really required in some of the big developing countries in India. Governments in these countries have woken up banning plastic bags and now plastic packaging betel nuts and more will be coming soon from them. Innovations such as this can really support this initiative and make a better place to live.
Kajal Bhati
This is a very good product. I went to this page while i was searching paper bottle for drinking water. Can you advice me how long we can store the water. Also please send me the detail price part if i will be dealer/ stocket in INDIA Satish
Brenson Jean
The use of biodegradable and sustainable products, especially in third world countries, to substitute for some of the products that are causing a lot of environmental issues is brilliant. This could be a breakthrough for a lot of those countries. Where can I get more information on this product maybe even a sample?
Sunil Agrawal
This is a very useful product i came through while searching the substitute of Pet Bottles. It can add a lot for decreasing pollution, saving our rivers etc. I want to more about the innovation...like....reliability, cost of manufacturing, machineries etc. and want to be a part in saving our "ENVIROMENT” .
Colin
I am extremely impressed with this product!!
Where will I be able to get more information and contact details??