Worldwide, We Are Trying To Move Away From Single Use Plastics,

but in Japan there are over 50,000 convenience stores, 

and each is stocked daily with plastic bento boxes, with implements in them being single use, the containers often come in a numerous shapes and sizes, which not only takes up space in the trash but also creates confusion around separating what gets recycled and what does not,

but what if these plastic boxes could be made of a different material and could be recycled?

that was the idea behind CYQL PROJECT, an initiative by graphic designer Kenya Hara’s Nippon Design Centre, to propose an alternative to Japan’s massive single-use plastics industry,

the resulting bento box is a minimal, understated design, and aside from the lid and chopsticks, it’s made from just a single sheet of paper whose form takes inspiration from origami,

it folds open and then collapses flat again, helping facilitate a more sustainable process from usage to disposal,

you can watch the video above for more of the process, as an aside you can also reach out to CYQL PROJECT if you’re a business owner interested in trying out the paper bento boxes, what a neat way to dispose of the use of plastic.