A bottle that packs down after use.
A reusable bottle folds down when it is empty. Its crease pattern makes the return journey take less space than the drink did.
In practice. A commercially sold folding bottle. The current V2 uses a different material formulation from the original crowdfunded V1.
What to keep in view
The product is sold, but reuse benefits depend on repeated use, cleaning and lifetime. Manufacturer recyclability claims do not guarantee local collection. The current V2 is not the original bio-based V1. Material and weight claims must not be mixed.
Give the bottle a predictable fold
DiFOLD launched the original Origami Bottle crowdfunding campaign from Sofia in 2020. The current 750 ml V2 bottle keeps the folding geometry while using a Kraiburg TPE material and a polypropylene neck, unlike the earlier material formulation. Current care guidance specifies still water, thorough drying before storage and attention to the fold areas.
A reusable container asks people to carry it even when it is doing nothing. DiFOLD treats that inconvenience as part of the design problem. The folding pattern makes empty volume negotiable while preserving a recognisable drinking vessel in use.
Design for the empty return journey
Design for the empty interval of ownership, not only for the moment a container is full.
Read next.
A suitcase that loses its frame after the trip.
The object’s empty state matters too. Both change structure to reduce the space needed between uses.
Full-length skis that fold for the journey.
Both address the space an object occupies between uses. A folding bottle and a folding ski must each preserve the properties needed when opened again.