Cleverly Convenient Packaging Design

25 Sep 2008 Category: Conscientious Design, Japan

Cleverly Convenient Packaging Design

With utmost practicability: UFO yaki-soba noodle packaging by Nissin includes useful holes for draining out excess hot water.

Since you, beloved reader, seemed to enjoy our recent How-to Reduce Packaging Journal quite a lot, we decided to do a little variation with some more nifty ideas: packaging design concepts surrounding us in our everyday Japanese life that make things just so much more convenient! From refill packs that you can open without scissors to a salad dressing that doesn’t make your hands dirty when you open it — sounds simple but is so terribly effective. PingMag would like to point out some examples.

Written by Ayana
Translated by Kevin Mcgue

Onigiri from the Conbini

A variety of onigiri rice balls wrapped in clear plastic can be found lined up on the shelves at any conbini, short for convenience store. This thoughtful package design was first developed by Suzuki, an Osaka-based food processing machine maker in 1989 and won them several awards. To open these triangular objects, you simple follow the numbered steps printed on the plastic. There is actually a thin layer of plastic between the rice and the seaweed sheets, which slides out of the way when you open the package. This keeps the seaweed nice and crispy right up to the moment you pop the rice ball in your mouth. Yummy!

The how-to on enjoying onigiri rice balls from the conbini, the convenience store! First, pull on corner #1! You’ll notice that the round, blue sticker, saying “tuna mayonnaise ,” is also perforated for easy tearing. Then, being careful not to tear the delicate seaweed, pull on corner #2. Then do the same with #3.

In case you left your glasses: Steps 1, 2, and 3 are clearly labeled.

For onigiri without a seaweed wrapping, you open one half, and then the other. This allows you to hold the plastic wrapper while eating the first half, so your hands won’t get dirty. Well thought out convenience, indeed!

It’s all about perforation: instant yaki-soba noodles with built-in strainer

Instant yaki-soba noodles are an easy (but not too healthy) lunch, much like instant ramen noodles, but with one important difference: While instant ramen is eaten with lots of broth, it is best to drain away as much of the hot water as possible before eating instant yaki-soba. This can be hard to do without spilling some of the noodles, burning yourself with hot water, or just making a big mess… But wait, these problems can be solved! The packaging lid is perforated with some small holes, which create a built-in strainer. The speed at which the water is drained is also important, and we found that the size and number of holes varies for different types of noodles! Clearly, this design must have been developed through a whole lot of trial and error…

A package of instant pasta: After taking the lid completely off, the small packets which contain oil and seasoning are taken out and hot water is poured in.

First, this instant yaki-soba UFO noodle packaging is opened one third to pour in hot water, then the water is drained, and finally the lid is taken completely off to eat it. Both products are made by Nissin Foods.

Knick Knack: Individual Serving Packets

We were always longing for a nifty packaging design that doesn’t make a mess when mixing several ingredients. Done! Individual serving packets of butter and maple syrup are folded in the middle to break a seal, releasing the contents, thus allowing us to spread margarine on bread, or dressing on salad without getting our hands dirty. Though these packets were first developed in America, by today Japan produces more of them, more than any other country. There are also dual packets, with margarine on one side and jam on the other. A Japan-only variation would be ketsup and mustard in one packet.

This packets of maple syrup are folded in half to release the contents.

The Knife Margarine Container Lid

This popular type of margarine package has been used for a long time in Japan: On one side of the lid, there is a little part that flips open to allow you to leave a butter knife in the container and still shut it securely. Before, hungry people needed scissors to cut out a hole, but now it is easy for people to pop it out by hand.

How practical! We wonder how many people actually use this clever innovation to leave a knife in their margarine… Do you?

Single-use Honey Capsules

We found something interesting: single-use honey capsules, produced by Meijiya. By turning the cap two or three times, it pops off, leaving a small opening, allowing us to pour it without getting our hands dirty and without having to worry about it all coming out in a big blob. Nice!

Single-use honey capsules, with twist-off tops.

Small and handy!

The World of Refilling

Shampoo, detergent and many other liquids come in economical refill packs, which are emptied into reusable bottles. For example, the bathtub cleaner you see below comes in a refill pack that is open and poured in the old bottle. Now, in order to keep the refill pack from folding over in half while refilling, there is a straw inside the package which keeps it stiff. Also, the opening does not require scissors to open. After use, the package can be folded up, too, of course.

A refill packet for cleaner. No doubt, a lot of careful planning went into the design.

Multi-open: Zip-lock Packages

You have surely seen them in your country, too, but to complete our list: Gummy candy and other treats often come in these types of packages that can be resealed after they are first opened, making it possible to slip the package into your bag without fear of the contents spilling all over. So this one is perfect for sweets that you want to enjoy a little at a time.

Sweets in zip-lock packages.

The packages can be opened and resealed as many times as you like.

The Instant Foldable Tissue Box

When a tissue box is nearly empty, it can be difficult to get the remaining tissue at the bottom. Help is needed! Here, there are little perforations on the side of the box and you can stick your finger in and pull up the side of the box. What for? In order to collapse the box into a more compact shape, so those few remaining tissues can be pulled out more easily. When the box is completely empty, it can be made even more compact to be put in the recycling bin. Would you have thought of that?

Clever holes on the side of the box to stick your finger in to fold it - for making the box more compact easily.

Coffee Filter Including Coffee

Forget instant coffee! Finally, we would like to show you this single-serving coffee filter — with the coffee already inside. Like a tea bag, there is enough ground coffee beans in the filter for a single cup. How does it work: The perforated edge along the top of the filter is torn off and as the filter is opened up, tabs pop out with hooks that allow it to be balanced securely on the cup’s rim. Just pour in hot water slowly and you will have a quick and enjoyable cup of drip coffee!

A single-sized serving in the package, and the filter with coffee already inside. The coffee bag!

Detailed instructions: After tearing off the top of the filter and placing it on the cup, hot water is poured in. So easy!

What’s your opinion on these practical designs? If you find some equally clever products around you, be sure to let us know!

37 Comments

  1. The Japanese are so innovative! Except, I’ve seen the individual sauce serving packets before.

    Posted by: Kym on September 25th, 2008 at 8:25 pm

  2. I fond of these Japanese packaging design things, especially ‘Coffee Filter Including Coffee’, very interesting!

    Posted by: Miyake on September 25th, 2008 at 8:40 pm

  3. neat, love the built in strainer always thought that was a great idea.

    Posted by: CJM on September 25th, 2008 at 10:53 pm

  4. Never seen the “mix the sauces” squeeze packs in japan. remember them from the US though.

    We use the “knife in the margarine” option.

    You need a video to demonstrate the onigiri opening procedure, pictures don’t do it justice.

    Despite your last post, I still feel that japan is KING of the overdone packaging. Every rice cracker pack is DOUBLE wrapped in cellophane, with a plastic tray, and then each rice cracker is individually wrapped.

    All biscuits are individually wrapped and in plastic trays.
    Even the honey is clever.. but a huge waste.

    That said, i do love the refills for liquids… i wish they had those in the UK.

    Posted by: tom on September 25th, 2008 at 10:55 pm

  5. oh, and the coffee filters are indeed cool (and great smelling). But kinda wasteful.

    Japan pics: http://www.23hq.com/soulground

    Posted by: tom on September 25th, 2008 at 10:57 pm

  6. I was very impressed the first time I saw the refill packs for cleaners and bath products. I bet they’re easier to ship then the plastic bottles, and talk about cutting down on waste. Love it!

    Posted by: Aimee on September 26th, 2008 at 1:22 am

  7. i do love the onigiri packages!

    Posted by: mexist on September 26th, 2008 at 2:09 am

  8. I wish this entire world can be like japan, how crappy we white ppl live so sad. Japan rock

    Posted by: oralist on September 26th, 2008 at 5:19 am

  9. yeah western living sucks! u guys need to take shower more often.

    Posted by: hitroni on September 26th, 2008 at 5:21 am

  10. Japanese packaging is the best!! I love it so much that I wrote of this subject, like yakisoba and onigiri packaging too, in my postgraduate thesis. Japanese packaging in nice, funny, intelligent…perfect!

    Posted by: Beatrice on September 26th, 2008 at 6:18 am

  11. i’ve always said, if there’s one thing i can rely on in life, it’s that japanese manufactured food sachets work, first time, every time. there’s nothing more frustrating than when scissors are needed to open the foil on my (korean) ramen noodles…

    Posted by: Electric Firefly on September 26th, 2008 at 6:58 am

  12. I have a mixture of feeling about these packages. Being a Japanese, I do respect these creative designs, but so much wastage!! We should think about these packages more earth friendly in the future.

    Posted by: rei on September 26th, 2008 at 9:51 am

  13. I really like the new trend of sweets in ziplock packages. Less waste than packages of individually wrapped sweets!

    Posted by: Claire on September 26th, 2008 at 1:14 pm

  14. More packaging the better! beside most stuff in Japan here are biodegradable.
    Unlike those yankee

    Posted by: gaijin08 on September 26th, 2008 at 2:32 pm

  15. I do agree thse are innovative and awesome designs for convienence, but I also agree with rei, we should make them enviorment friendly.

    Posted by: Provi on September 26th, 2008 at 4:31 pm

  16. The packaging looks clever, but using plastic to contain your food and even cook in it is bad for your health and the planet. More natural plant based packaging is the direction to go.

    Posted by: Carol on September 27th, 2008 at 8:55 am

  17. Japan has so many innovative and artistic designs present in every day life!
    <3

    Posted by: Carol on September 27th, 2008 at 9:15 am

  18. oh this is no news…
    these designs were out for ages!!
    anyway i’m in hong kong

    Posted by: mo on September 27th, 2008 at 6:13 pm

  19. I know the Japanese don’t drink much milk,but I wonder if you have something like the latest milk packaging I’ve seen.You buy a plastic jug to fit in the fridge, then you buy milk in a pouch that you just cut the corner off and it’s designed to fit straight into the jug - more ‘green’ than the plastic bottles that most milk is sold in still.

    Posted by: Blythe on September 28th, 2008 at 7:44 pm

  20. Don’t forget the insanely overkill packaging. kantori-maamu (Country Ma’am) chocolate chip cookies. 16 (tiny) cookies in a bag, plastic tray, each one individually wrapped! What a waste I tell ya.

    Posted by: kamikaze.cockroach on September 29th, 2008 at 11:34 pm

  21. I could understand the Blendy concept more if it was demonstrated by a cartoon character, perhaps one with a comically oversized head.

    Posted by: web design company on September 30th, 2008 at 5:47 am

  22. [...] packaging is awesome sometimes. PingMag did a review of their favorites. There are special packages for easy refills, squeezable condiments [...]

    Posted by: Yamatologic » Blog Archive » Awesome Japanese Packaging on October 1st, 2008 at 8:38 am

  23. I’m just wondering about all that fine rubbish produced by such clever package design.

    Posted by: what! on October 1st, 2008 at 4:03 pm

  24. Japanese packaging design is incredible. In my opinion, the best in the world. So clever and beautiful!

    Posted by: Flavio Hebaru on October 3rd, 2008 at 7:39 pm

  25. [...] task being done in a easier way, there’s a solution proposed to ease up the complication. Pingmag has published articles on smart and practical packaging design. This is one of it. Enjoy. These [...]

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  27. oh great! plastic packaging heated to give you your daily dose of carcinogens, and single-use products to make sure our landfills are never too empty.

    tell us more!

    Posted by: Alice on October 23rd, 2008 at 1:20 pm

  28. i love japanese packaging!
    they r the best!! thanks for this article

    Posted by: tom on October 24th, 2008 at 4:39 pm

  29. this is all really cleaver and such…
    but all this single use plastic stuff is what’s making islands of plastic in our delicate waters.

    maybe we should stop being lazy and learn how to drain soup or put honey in a reusable container before we go to school.

    Posted by: chia on November 1st, 2008 at 4:21 pm

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  33. [...] Since you, beloved reader, seemed to enjoy our recent How-to Reduce Packaging Journal quite a lot, we decided to do a little variation with some more nifty ideas: packaging design concepts surrounding us in our everyday Japanese life that make things just so much more convenient! From refill packs that you can open without scissors to a salad dressing that doesn’t make your hands dirty when you open it — sounds simple but is so terribly effective. Read the full story>> [...]

    Posted by: Kevin Mcgue - Tokyo-Based Journalist & Filmmaker » Cleverly Convenient Packaging Design on March 1st, 2009 at 10:07 am

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    Posted by: Bits n'peaches on September 21st, 2009 at 3:52 am

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    Posted by: Tutup botol dan aging society di Jepang « Berguru on November 1st, 2009 at 10:23 pm

  36. Does anyone know where I can purchase some of those filtered coffee packets?

    Posted by: Gary Clark on January 26th, 2010 at 12:06 pm

  37. [...] It just makes alot of sense to me–when fewer people are buying CDs, create something valuable beyond the digital information burned onto it. Fetishize it! I know Japanese hip hop fans are gonna love this, they’re packaging-crazy. (peep here and here) [...]

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