BOUQ

BOUQ is a line of gender-neutral solid fragrances. Eliminating water in the product reduces the overall volume of the packaging material—the packaging is a zero-waste combo of seed paper and natural substances. I developed the branding, packaging, and product.

Zero waste calls for designing products such that the discarded materials function as resources, thereby eliminating the need for disposal. Zero waste is a broad perspective that involves shifting away from garbage management and moving toward resource management. BOUQ is 100% zero waste at the consumer-use and end-of-life (disposal) stages of the product’s life cycle.

Through adhering to the principles of zero waste, I decided to create plantable seed paper to serve as the substrate for carrying the brand identity and product information. The seed paper functions as a label for the product, and can then be repurposed for use in a home garden. Each seed paper aligns with scent notes in its associated fragrance.

  • FLORAL: wildflower seeds

  • BREEZE: peppermint seeds

  • CITRUS: lavender seeds

  • FOREST: rosemary seeds

  • SPICED: helichrysum seeds

The product containers are made from kombucha SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria & Yeast) which is a naturally-occurring by-product of the fermentation process. The SCOBY containers can be used as fertilizer for the plantable seed paper. After the fragrance has been enjoyed, the packaging can be planted in its entirety.

A driving factor in all choices for this project is upholding the gender neutrality of the product. Therefore, it is a solid fragrance, and not a solid perfume or cologne. The scent names are “spiced,” “floral,” “breeze,” “citrus,” and “forest.” These names were selected due to both the lack of strong feminine or masculine connotation, and their alignment with the fragrance notes. The fragrances themselves were developed to reflect a pleasant scent for any person, without smelling distinctly of one gender identity. The fragrances are made up of essential oils, and integrated with beeswax and sweet almond oil as carriers.

It’s important to keep in mind that the greatest environmental impact of any product comes long before it hits the shelves. Extraction, manufacturing, and distribution take the heaviest toll on our planet. Hopefully, our future will hold less greenwashing, more corporate transparency, and easier methods for consumers to make eco-conscious choices.