Orange you glad to be eco-friendly?

In this practical and attractive orange carrier by VitaPack, it seems that the designer had designed the packaging with the ultimate goal of the final product to be as environmentally-friendly as possible. In almost every aspect of the design it is apparent that the designer's thought process revolved around ecological purposes and functionality while keeping a keen eye on the design. Consumers may initially recognize VitaPack's effort to "be green," by the use of (possibly recycled) brown paper to package the oranges. The choice to use brown paper portrays a sense of rawness and naturalness while the actual use/layout of the paper is well-planned and non-excessive/not wasteful. Rather than encasing the entire orange in paper, the designer used circle cut-outs to hold the oranges in place, which may also be a design tactic to uniquely showcase the fruit as well being easily accessible. One main but subtle characteristic that enforces eco-friendliness (which may not be as apparent to some consumers) is the designer's decision to minimize the use of toxic material to construct the packaging. For instance, it seems that the brown paper packaging is mostly constructed by folding/bending, tucking, and the use of perforations; such processes prevent excessive/unnecessary use of toxic glues and adhesives. The designer's theme of minimalism and sustainability is also apparent in the label- the surface area of the labels is just enough for the necessary text and information. Another aspect of the packaging that may attract ecological-conscious consumers is the functionality of the carrier. Consumers can comfortably carry around the "bag" of oranges using the package's handle. If a consumer finds his/herself carrying more items/things than just the oranges, he/she can transform the original (semi-bulky) square-shaped VitaPack into one that is lengthwise by tearing at the label's suggested perforated line.

A couple of concerns that customers may have about the packaging is the sturdiness of the materials and whether or not the packaging is 100% recyclable. Consumers may be skeptical about the strength of the brown paper and ponder its ability to encase and protect the oranges when stored with other items. The doubt that the packaging is not fully recyclable is due to several aspects of the labeling. It is unknown if the labels were printed with or without non-toxic inks and if they were glued onto the brown paper. If the labels were perhaps printed without non-toxic ink the designer could have created a label sleeve that can be easily removed from the brown paper to prevent confusion.