As one of the biggest threats to the world's oceans, plastic waste is a hot topic at the moment, with both Selfridge’s department store and Canadian accessories brand Matt & Nat supporting charities attempting to solve it. Now washing up liquid brand Ecover has joined the fight with its innovative Ocean Plastic Bottle created entirely from plastic waste fished from the sea.
Created in conjunction with Logoplaste Innovation Lab, the Ecover bottle is a small but meaningful step that attempts to invert the current cycle of packaging pollution by removing waste from the sea instead of adding to it. The intriguingly designed bottle, which is based on the diatom and radiolarian skeleton structures found in the ocean, also uses 15 per cent less plastic than regular bottles.
The bottle is made entirely from recycled plastic with at least 10 per cent of this coming from the sea. Ecover estimates that it will use one tonne of plastic fished from the sea per year in its packaging, with aims to increase this as the project grows. It is hoped that through this the seas will become safer for fish and sea mammals, as well as healthier for humans, whose food and drink can often become polluted with micro plastics thanks to the level of waste.
This forward-thinking and admirable project has so far seen Ecover collect the prestigious Red Dot Award for Packaging Design and the Packaging Europe Brand Award. However, thanks to its charitable credentials, we think the Ocean Plastic Bottle could also be a strong contender in Boat International’s Ocean Awards held in conjunction with the Blue Marine Foundation. If you would like to nominate Ecover, or any other deserving organisation or charity which works towards improving the health of the oceans, simply email theoceanawards@thebluemarinefoundation.com by 17 July.