Revolutionizing Package Reuse with Solar Media

Transforming Packaging into Functional Household Items in Underdeveloped Areas

The inspiration behind Solar Media is the BOP (Bottom of the Pyramid) populations in third-world countries without electricity. The design aims to make full use of all material used in packaging, transforming it into functional household items. The small boxes inside become drawers, the corrugated paper compartment turns into a hanger by simple folding, and the outer box for transport morphs into a wardrobe or a drawer chest.

Solar Media is a project of solar-energized lighting facilities, serving Africa and other underdeveloped areas with no electricity. The design's unique properties lie in its ability to enable packaging of all sizes to be reused when the product is consumed. Inside the box, the section corrugated paper can be easily folded into clothes-hangers. The box itself is used as a drawer. The outer pack with six boxes turns into durable wardrobes, cupboards, or any storage space.

The realization of this design is simple yet effective. It uses corrugated paper and simple print to create a cost-effective solution for underprivileged societies. The product package is 258(L)*355(H)*85(W); Logistic Box: 362(L)*527(H)*140(W); Package produce cost: 1USD; Product retail price: 70USD.

The design was created by Tiger Pan, Yuxuan He, Zhangkun Xie, and Lei Peng. The team's focus was to create a design that is not only functional but also sustainable. The design works by making full use of all material used to pack. After unpacking the parcel, users will find the container and the package useful, instead of wasteful.

The products are produced in Mainland China and launched in May 2020. They are sold in Africa, India, and other poverty-stricken areas around the world. The design was created in response to the fact that by the end of 2020, the global population without electricity was still over 800 million, a large ratio occupied by Africa and India. In these areas, infections caused by kerosene lamp lighting kill more than 5.3 million people yearly.

The design faced several challenges, including targeting the global BOP population, its low profit margin, and the hope to solve the survival problem of the poor. Despite these challenges, the design was successful and was awarded Silver in A' Packaging Design Award in 2021.