KOR ONE Hydration Vessel
Sustainable Consumer Product Award
Molder: Nypro, Incorporated
Moldmaker: Nypro, Incorporated
Designer: RKS
Over 60 million bottles are discarded each day in the U.S.. KOR Water recognized the need for a healthy, sustainable, environmentally sound way to stay hydrated and challenged our design team to create a reusable water bottle as innovative and inspirational as it was healthy and environmentally sound.
Bottle construction had to support a long product life and the bottle had to be made of materials that were as healthy for consumers as they were for the environment. The product had to be easy to drink from and have a "big gulp" feature to allow a high-volume, thirst-quenching flow. The bottled had to be easy to refill from a sink, a refrigerator, or a water cooler. The cap had to offer one-handed operation and be impossible to lose. All this and more had to be delivered in an eye-catching package that appealed to consumers seeking an affordable luxury. Buying the final product should make consumers feel good on at least three levels... they're doing something healthy for themselves, they're doing the right thing for the planet, and they're treating themselves to a product they can be proud to display in their homes, in their offices, and on the road.
To ensure materials used were healthful, durable, and safe, the design team considered many options. The polycarbonates most reusable bottles are made of contain Bisphenol-A (BPA), which studies link to harmful hormone disruptions. Glass doesn't carry the risk of BPA exposure, but it breaks easily. Aluminum doesn't break, but it's been linked to health problems including Alzheimer's.
The designers contacted Eastman and learned they had been quietly developing a new plastic which had a rich feel, terrific clarity, and could handle variable wall thicknesses. This versatile plastic was extremely impact resistant, could be used in molds designed for polycarbonate, and was be dishwasher safe. Best of all, it was BPA-free. Tritan's feel and clarity promised to deliver the premium luxury perception required to make Tritan the right choice for the KOR ONE.
For intuitive, one-handed operation, the team developed an innovative cap with a thumb release. Once the button is pressed, the top hinges backwards 180 degrees and stays put. This gives unobstructed access to a mouthpiece small enough to sip from, yet big enough for a thirst-quenching chug. The KOR ONE's frame extends above the cap to make it easy to handle even when your hands are full.
Tritan's rich tactile properties and glass-like clarity enhance the perceived value of the water, the bottle, and the experience. The body of the KOR ONE has a subtle tint of clear blue beach glass, polished by years in the sea, giving the vessel a luminous quality that celebrates the purity of water within.
The structural ribbing of the end cap takes on the subtle form of a globe, helping to communicate that the KOR ONE is a step toward a solution to a global
