Hey there! I would like to start this first post with a really interesting initiative that I run into this week. It consists in nothing less than edible water! A natural alternative to reduce or avoid the use of plastic bottles that was launched by the company Skipping Rocks Lab. This disruptive product is known as Ooho.
Skipping Rocks Lab is an innovative sustainable packaging start-up which is based in London. They claim the use of natural materials extracted from plants and seaweed, to create packaging that has low environmental impact. Their slogan is one of the best in the market for the moment: “We make packaging disappear”.
The main goal of this product is to replace small water bottles, because plastic bottles are one of the most common items found in the sea. They take too much time to decompose, experts said about 700 years. This measure was made to protect the environment and to achieve a new way of packaging water. Ooho is started being used in sporting events like marathons where hydration is a must. In that kind of events is where they can reach more people and starting to be known. Moreover, they are working with some partners, such as Selfridges, Just Eat and Virgin Sport to make this revolutionary product a successful launch.
The Ooho team is developing a machine to produce them automatically. The machine will be able to produce 100 Oohos in 5 to 10 minutes, and will be operated locally by retailers to make Oohos fresh every day in-store.
Skipping Rocks Lab is part of the Climate KIC start-up acceleration program founded by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) and the scientific team is based in Imperial College. Skipping Rocks Lab was awarded the 2014 Lexus Design Award, the 2014 World Technology Award (environment) held in association with Fortune and TIME, 2015 SEA Award and 2016 UK Energy Globe Award.
Hey Berta,
The Ooho team is truly a revolutionary enterprise that is bound to change the way water is packaged. The product seems almost unreal, like something you would see in a sci- fi movie. Its unique packaging is revolutionary. I believe that it could beginning of a new future without plastic packaging. Although we have seen the detrimental effects that plastic has on the environment, plastic continues to be a popular form of packaging. Ooho could be the solution to this pressing issue, however, it has yet to gain traction and popularity in the market. I am surprised that it is still not available in stores. Perhaps the company should consider licensing their technology to a major company in order to raise awareness and get their product out there.