Clean Rim Paper Cup: A Hygienic Solution for Disposable Cups

Preventing Pollution and Enhancing Convenience

The Clean Rim Paper Cup stands out from traditional paper cups with its innovative 11-degree sloping rim. This design feature creates a margin between the rims of stacked cups, allowing users to easily take a cup without touching the rim of another. By addressing the issue of touch pollution, this design promotes hygiene and encourages users to be more conscious of the cleanliness of disposable products.

Furthermore, the 11-degree incline of the rim serves another purpose. It extends the rim, making it more convenient for users to get water from a dispenser. The extension provides a comfortable grip and facilitates pouring water, enhancing the overall user experience.

The Clean Rim Paper Cup measures 77mm x 77mm x 94mm, making it a standard size for easy compatibility with existing cup dispensers. Its design tags include "paper cup," "anti-pollution," "touch-pollution," "11-degree rim," and "germ-free," highlighting its unique features and benefits.

The design team behind the Clean Rim Paper Cup consists of strategist Yinshuai Zhang, industrial designer Yinan Li, designer Yiqi Sun, structure designer Hansi Zhao, and advisor Hu Yin. Together, they have created a solution that not only addresses hygiene concerns but also improves the functionality of disposable cups.

Using the Clean Rim Paper Cup is simple and intuitive. Users can choose the cup they want from a stack and hold it in the designated margin area, indicated by a green print on the cup. This ensures that they can take a cup without touching the rim of another. Additionally, the 11-degree rim allows for easy water retrieval from a dispenser, and the rim extension facilitates pouring water.

The Clean Rim Paper Cup was designed in 2016 as part of the "Big Improvement with Little Change" series by Yinshuai Zhang, Yiqi Sun, and Yinan Li. This series aims to incorporate traditional Chinese philosophical thoughts into design concepts. The team's studio is located in Beijing, where they draw inspiration from ancient traditions and sages.

Extensive research and usability testing were conducted to ensure the effectiveness of the Clean Rim Paper Cup. The design team employed the design method of "design with storyline," using service design toolkits to understand user needs throughout the cup's lifecycle. This approach resulted in a product that fulfills multiple needs, including cleanliness before use, easy cup retrieval, convenient water dispensing, and effortless pouring.

One of the challenges faced by the design team was effectively communicating the design without a usage scenario. To overcome this, they utilized storyboards and before-and-after comparisons to visually demonstrate the cup's benefits and improved user experience.

The Clean Rim Paper Cup has received recognition for its innovative design. It was awarded the Iron A' Design Award in the Disposable and Single-Use Product Design category in 2017. This prestigious award honors well-designed, practical, and innovative creations that meet professional and industrial requirements.

The Clean Rim Paper Cup is not just a disposable cup; it is a thoughtful solution that prioritizes hygiene and user convenience. By addressing the issue of touch pollution and enhancing the functionality of paper cups, this design sets a new standard for disposable cup design.