A synonym for the circular economy is Eco Packly, the multi-use container in recycled plastic presented by Fratelli Guzzini at the Fuorisalone.
Heart, mind and hard work. One step at a time, the circular future takes shape by nurturing the values of study and knowledge, technological innovation and experimentation, respect for the planet and for people. Recovering from one of the world's most severe public health crises also means adopting a new culture, in everyday life as well as in industry, and entering into dialogue with the environment.
To set the pace of recovery, stimulate circular sustainable development and have a positive influence on contemporary society, the company Fratelli Guzzini has decided to combine the use of innovative materials with functional and aesthetic research. The historic Italian brand, which for 109 years has been working from Recanati to stay one step ahead, presented at the Fuorisalone design fair in Milan — the design week held from 5 to 10 September — the multi-use container in post-consumer plastic, Eco Packly. "Returning to the Fuorisalone also means giving a sense of purpose to what companies must do in a time of difficulty: create a fresh start, a renaissance," explains Domenico Guzzini, president of Fratelli Guzzini.
Fratelli Guzzini has decided to take the path of the circular economy by focusing on the circularity of plastic and promoting the Circle project, of which Eco Packly is a product. The choice, the president points out, is attributable to "a sense of responsibility, first and foremost, but also as a response to the demands of the planet and of Europe." Waste "is a resource," Guzzini stresses, and can become "new products without ending up in landfills or waste-to-energy plants."
The colourful, multi-use Eco Packly container, which can also be used for separate waste collection, is made from at least 70 per cent recycled plastic — low-density polyethylene (LDPE) — sourced from the supply chain of a leading large-scale retail brand. "80 per cent of a product's environmental impact is determined at the design stage," notes Eco Packly designer Roberto Giacomucci. It is precisely at this stage, he continues, that "we must pay very close attention to what it means to make a product — an object that is then introduced into the environment."
The container is "a single block, a single component, and can therefore be disposed of in one go," unlike many products on the market made from recycled materials that are no longer recyclable themselves and so cannot be fed back into the production cycle. With a view to reducing the environmental impact of logistics, the container can be folded and in that state takes up half the space it occupies when open. "This is important both during the transport and storage phase, but also for the end user," Giacomucci underlines. Once folded, Eco Packly can be transported "in the boot of a car to drop off waste at a recycling centre."
Guzzini estimates that transporting 3,168 folded EcoPackly units — equivalent in volume to 1,320 open units — over 300 kilometres saves 210 grams of carbon dioxide (or CO2) equivalent per container from entering the atmosphere. These are significant figures when one considers that every gesture, every step, contributes to building a better, circular and sustainable future for all.
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