One look at our oceans says it all. Plastic product packaging is polluting the seas and threatening marine life. Berlin-based product designer Jonna Breitenhuber has taken initiative and found one solution to a plastic product that most use every day. Breitenhuber founded SOAPBOTTLE, a project/product that packages shampoos and body wash in slow-dissolving soap. Once the contents inside are empty, the packaging can be used as hand soap or can be grated and mixed with baking soda and natron to make a detergent.
Breitenhuber has a history of minimalist and sustainable design concepts. Her previous designs include AVOCADO, a cooking station that doubles as a ceramic grill and a campfire to enjoy outside with friends and family, and ALL*PACKA, an external frame backpack that can be converted into a trolley or sack truck. SOAPBOTTLE was Breitenhuber’s final thesis during her master’s studies. After seeing how the food industry has taken steps towards waste-free packaging, Breitenhuber was inspired to bring that innovation to toiletry products. With all-natural and biodegradable ingredients, scents ranging from aloe vera, blueberry, lemon, and grapefruit, and its sleek and simple design, SOAPBOTTLE fits into any lifestyle that wants to go waste-free.
Among many other accolades, the project won the Green Concept Award in 2019 and is nominated for the 2021 German Sustainability Award. For now, SOAPBOTTLE remains a concept but is on its way to becoming a product for the public. Breitenhuber recently began working with Marie-Stella-Maris, a brand that sells refillable body and home products and has a foundation that advocates for universal access to clean water and hygiene. A percentage of their revenue is donated to support clean water projects around the world. Although the wait continues, SOAPBOTTLE X Marie-Stella-Maris opens the door to endless possibilities for other waste-free products that will bring us closer to widespread sustainable living.