Too Much Packaging!

Here's an interesting video I found on You Tube of a gaijin (foreigner) who bought himself a meal at the local McDonald's restaurant in Japan.

There's nothing amazing about that, until you see the amount of packaging that is used for a typical take-out meal.

Just know that in Japan L-size means large. If you try and use 'Japanese' and say oki-sai (big size) they will have no idea what you are saying. At any place in any town in Japan. Essu-saizu; emmu-saizu; and eeru-saizu. Yup.  S-size; M-size; and L-size. 


Damn video made me hungry. But... all I know is that while I enjoyed a Big Mac or two as much as the next person, I really liked the Teriyaki Burger. Yes... McDonald's around the world have differing menus. You should try the Maharaja-Mac in India.  

It's still a lot of packaging, though. Maybe McDonald's could talk to someone of their restaurants about this? Please?

Cheers
Andrew Joseph

Sustainable Food Packaging Inspired By Origami

I admire good packaging. If you knew me, you would understand why.

It's why I wanted to show you this wicked-looking package, which if you have read the headline, you realize is a folding paper(board) container designed to look like origami.

Origami, as you hopefully know, is the Japanese art of folding paper into simple or intricate shapes. 'Ori' means folding, and 'kami' means paper. The 'k' becomes a 'g' in origami due to something called RENDAKU.

I can barely fold a piece of paper in half without a police squad becoming involved, so I have always been impressed by those who can take a simple piece of paper and create a work of art.

Of course, I used to be able to do that when I actually wrote stories with a pen and paper rather than keyboard and screen.

This origami-inspired package comes from Guactruck, a mobile food service take-out restaurant situated in Manila, Philippines. This eatery serves up Mexican-inspired Filipino cuisine. Sure. Why not? But it's not simple greasy-dive, fast-food takeout.

No.

Guactruck is more than that, as evidenced by its keen eye to packaging detail.

Blooming great package!

While this packaging is truly a work of art, it was created with sustainability in mind. Manufactured from a single piece of paperboard, and keeping with the pure traditions of origami, the package is constructed without any type of adhesive. And, as we all know, paper is biodegradable. Mmmmm. How green is my guacamole?

The design, as you can tell, looks like a the bud of a flower - and when it is opened up, it definitely looks like a blooming flower! Awesome!

For your amusement and mine, I have counted the actual folds diecut into the package. No wagering.... there are 38 folds that a machine has made.

Machines make the pattern, Guactruck staff fold the paperboard.

Now... I'm not 100% positive of this, but if I am the company cutting the paperboard pack for Guactruck, I'm pretty sure it is shipped flat to the food guys... that means that the staff, in order to place their freshly cooked Mexican-Filipino dishes in it, must first construct the package. And if you take a close look at the flat open package, and what it looks like closed, this is a precise piece of work, and looks to be a tad time-consuming.

Oh, the sacrifices one does for one's art!   

According to Guactruck (which I take it is a mash-up of 'guacamole' and 'truck'):
"The design for the packaging is a creative solution to the wastefulness that most containers are today with its single cardboard, origami-inspired design. It’s made of biodegradable paperboard that is easy to recycle... All of the cutlery used is made from cornstarch and biodegrades within 90 days."

Cutlery, too? Fantastic!

Guactruck is not offering standard greasy, junk food one could purchase from a truck (at least here in Toronto, that is all we get! Fries, burgers, hot dogs...  Sucks!). The proprietors not only create some tasty-looking dishes, but they wanted a packaging design to focus on creativity and aesthetics, all the while desiring something sustainable.

While the packaging itself is biodegradable, Guactruck has come up with (for me, here in Canada) what appears to be an innovative way to encourage recycling of its packaging.

Guactruck encourages its customers to return the used packaging with the incentive of obtaining a free meal in exchange for 10 returned packs. The returned packaging will then be sent to the proper local channels for recycling.

So... Guactruck has not only created an awareness of sustainable packaging and recycling, but has also instilled a habit of conscious and conscientious consumerism.

Brilliant logo!

And, just so you know, the Guactruck truck itself uses LED and energy-saving lighting.

Guactruck - thank you for being so international, using Japanese-inspired packaging design with your Mexican meals in the Philippines, so this Canadian guy could share his food with the world.

Sorry. That last paragraph was corny. Article over! I'm hungry! Guacktruck! Do you deliver?

by Andrew Joseph

Japanese Packaging #2

I like packaging.

I like dogs.

I sometimes even like packaging for dog products.

But this package from Japan leaves me dragging my butt across a carpet.

While it certainly leaves little to the imagination, I really do understand what its for despite not knowing how to read Japanese.

Perhaps it is because most of the package is in English or perhaps it's because of the awesome graphic image.

Poopy Picker... the one touch cleaner bag that promotes good manners good dog life.

I must say it, that this bag of dog poop bags inspired me to change my blogs description under the Japan - It's A Wonderful Rife header.

Thank-you Poopy Picker!

It's not only a good dog life, it's a wonderful rife.

I wonder if it comes in Rottweiler-size (I've owned four - three at the same time!), or god help me, Chocolate Lab-size  and not just toy Japanese dog size? My Lab, Buster, sure does eat a lot of things he shouldn't! And, by the cartoon visual on the package, it sure seems like I can see exactly what's in the bag and thus what Buster should not be eating.

Woof-woof!
Andrew Joseph 
Another blog HERE with some more cool Japanese packaging!

Japanese Packaging

 I'm unsure if the photo to the left needs further comment, except that it seems to be an actual FritoLay bag of Dorito's corn chips.

The graphics are crisp and clean, unfortunately. I love that the orange wrestler is crunching the yellow wrestlers nuts while pulling the legs in close.

Perhaps this is the new Electric Anma flavour. I'm unsure what anma means - except for Japanese massage.

If the graphic is representative of Japanese massage, I'm pretty happy I never got an authentic one.

Does the yellow wrestler look happy to you? Does the graphic imply there is intense pain in the bag? Can I order one of these suits? 

Anyhow... I am unsure if these are corn chips or porn chips.