May 10 2008
Top designer Yves Béhar and his San Francisco-based firm, fuseproject, have partnered with Thomas Arndt to create an unconventional Y-shaped bottle for Y Water™, a new organic, low-calorie drink for children, using Eastman Eastar EB062 copolyester from Eastman Chemical Company.
Featured on Eastman’s award-winning Innovation Lab website -- www.eastmaninnovationlab.com -- the Y bottle's symmetrical shape is designed to appeal to elementary school children, who can re-use the package as a toy, building block, or game. Initially available at southern California stores of Whole Foods, the world’s largest retailer of natural and organic foods, Y Water will be offered throughout the United States by mid-2008.
“We're taking a completely unconventional approach to building a beverage company by adopting packaging and communication tactics that are design-driven," says Béhar. “We're using design to create a message that is the core of the brand."
"Packaging is the hero of the Y Water brand," says Thomas Arndt, president of Y Water: "The Y bottle truly helps to differentiate our products by engaging consumers in a way that is completely unexpected."
Available in four flavors that underscore the essential elements of a child’s health – Bone Water, Brain Water, Immune Water and Muscle Water – Y Water does not contain preservatives, artificial coloring or sweeteners, a key benefit for parents seeking healthy options for their children. The healthy nature of the product is further underscored by the small nine-ounce size, providing easy portion-control.
Beyond the grown-up appeal, the unique package design was created with children in mind. The bold, geometrical shape – inspired by an upside-down, three-dimensional Y – was enabled by the unique blow-molding characteristics of Eastman Eastar copolyester. Offering water-like clarity, this material was able to provide the wall-thickness necessary to withstand Y Water’s 185° of hot-fill process and the durability to withstand rough handling and reuse by children.
The package’s shelf impact is further maximized by biodegradable hang tags placed around the bottle neck. Featuring cartoon-like drawings and humorous text such as, “Bone Water … because you don’t want your skeleton walking out on you,” the tags communicate Y Water’s youthful and fun brand essence.
"The beauty of the Y Water package goes much deeper than its distinctive three-dimensional Y shape," says Courtland Jenkins, industry leader, food beverage and consumer packaging at Eastman. "The Y Water package itself is the culmination of a new approach to packaging that incorporates shelf presentation, the concept of reusability and functionality that resonates and connects with the consumer."
The playfulness of Y Water is further conveyed with its capability to be reused as a toy or building blocks. Natural rubber connectors called “Y Knots” allow end-users to connect different packages into molecule-like formations. The reusability of the Y Water package as a creative medium for children prolongs the useful life of the package, making it a more sustainable concept.
“When looking for a low-calorie, organic drink for our own kids, my wife and I came up empty handed,” says Thomas Arndt, president of Y Water™. “Obesity is a major problem among kids, and we wanted to create a beverage that can positively influence them about the importance of staying healthy.”
Posted May 9th,2008