by Michelle Lentz
When we were away for Thanksgiving weekend, I’d forgottten my curling iron and had to buy a new one. I had a terrible time opening the ridiculous packaging since I was in a hotel and had no scissors handy. In particular, I hate the hard plastic packaging that often comes around a tiny USB stick. Why? Why are these things so difficult to get into? Why so much extra plastic?
About a month ago, Amazon.com launched a new initiative called Frustration-Free packaging. They’re working with manufacturers to create easy-open boxes – no ties, no metal wraps, no clamshells, no extra plastics.
One of the first products to launch was the Fisher-Price Imaginext Adventures Pirate Ship. The new packaging eliminated ALL of the following:
- 1,576.5 sq in printed corrugated package inserts
- 175.2 sq in PVC blisters
- 36.1 sq in folding carton materials
- 36 in of plastic coated steel wire ties
- 2 molded plastic fasteners
- 3.5 sq in of ABC molded styrene
Right now there are only 19 products available like this, but I have high hopes that maybe this initiative by Amazon will help manufacturers wake up. In addition, Amazon’s simple packaging is more environmentally friendly than the original packaging. “It will take many years, but our vision is to offer our entire catalog of products in Frustration-Free Packaging,” Jeff Bezos said in the letter announcing the program.
Amazon’s Great Unwrap Race video is funny and perfectly illustrates both the problem and the solution. They also have a gallery of user-submitted Wrap Rage.
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Events, news, apps, and more – let me know at michelle[at]writetech[dot]net, via Twitter, or Friendfeed.
