Industrial

The Pod-Dock: Tackling Cosmetic Packaging Waste

The Pod-Dock is a modular system of pods and trays that store makeup. They can be refilled, magnetised to each other and magnetised to a standard makeup palette encouraging an improved sequence of use. The main achievement of this design is that it eliminates packaging waste by being directly refillable and is included in a refill system.

The Pod-Dock

tackling cosmetic packaging waste

According to the World Economic Forum, only 9% of all plastics ever made have been recycled and as much as 8 million metric tons of plastic waste reach our oceans each year. It is widely known that plastic waste is a worldwide issue and drastic measures are needed in order to make a dent in the problem.
Cosmetic packaging waste makes up a section of this issue as the industry is a fast-growing economic sector worldwide and with increased consumption, comes increased waste. In 2018, the global cosmetics market grew by an estimated 5.5 percent in comparison to the previous sales year.
The industry is predicted to produce 120 billion units of packaging per year and if only 9% of plastics ever made have been recycled, it is likely that most of those billions of units reach landfills.

the main contributors

Makeup artists are the largest users of cosmetics and largest causes of cosmetic packaging waste due to their incorrect use of consumer targeted makeup products. These products are intended for singular use, have numerous excess layers of packaging, are not designed for makeup artists, and cant be recycled.
This means that there is a continuous loop of purchase but an open-ended stream of plastic going to landfill and the ocean.

the solution

The goal was to close this open-ended stream and create a closed loop system that will be adopted by makeup artists. That is where the Pod-Dock and refill system come in. The system works at solving the waste crisis and the pod dock works at ensuring makeup artists gain value from the experience. Since the system is quite disruptive, a product that adds value was needed to ensure that the solution would be adopted.

Makeup artists can have bulk product delivered to their door and refill their pods. The Pod-Dock is a modular, magnetic, time-saving and refillable makeup solution. It can be magnetised to a makeup artist’s existing metal palette and stacked to create a customisable palette. All pods can be swapped around and are built to last with stainless steel. These solutions solve the waste problem by incentivising makeup artists to make better choices.

the refill system

A mobile makeup refill service will be provided to make refilling as easy as possible from the comfort of a makeup artist’s home. Users will purchase durable containers that are able to be refilled and reused over a long period of time and will then refill their Pod-Docks when they get low. From primary research, a refill system is highly sought after in the industry and is the solution to getting rid of the consumer packaging that causes the most waste.

the product

Within the system is the Pod-Dock that responds to the pain point of bulky palettes. When makeup artists are on set, they require a touch up kit and need to take small amounts of key products rather than their whole kit but cannot do this without taking their huge palette. With the Pod-Dock, key products can be swapped out easily, quickly and can be magnetised to a palette making it easier for a one-handed application. This saves time which makes an application go quicker and allows a makeup artist to earn more money.

– It is made out of 2205 duplex grade stainless steel which is known for being used in biomedical applications because of its high corrosion resistance. This means it will be very durable and can withstand a lifetime of refilling
– The parts will be die casted and covered with a protective coating for even further corrosion resistance
– High quality magnets are used within the pods and the outer shell is magnetic also

Overall, The system works to solve the waste issue and the Pod-Dock works to ensure that the system is adopted. The Pod-Dock provides value to a makeup artist due to its modularity, customisability, time saving attributes and ease of use. The system removes consumer packaging waste and makes refilling ultra convenient. The goal was achieved to create a closed loop system that doesn’t rely on any waste and to create a solution that allows makeup artists to save time and money.

Tayissa Walters

Tayissa is passionate about innovative solutions and strives to uncover user and consumer needs in order to re-design, re-imagine and shift how existing products and systems perform. The focus is on providing solutions that consider not only the function, aesthetic and practicality of a product, but on streamlining the entire system. Innovation, sustainable values and the user's needs are at the core of her designs and she envisions a world with sustainable, beautiful and efficient products.