Dip-In Tiffin

Design: Srishti Garg
Location: India
Project Type: Student Project
School: Srishti School Of Art, Design & Technology
Tutor: Pradnya Naik
Packaging Contents: On the go South Indian Breakfast
Packaging Substrate / Materials: Areca Leaf Bowls
Printing Process: Flexography

The aim of this project was to design a sustainable food-grade packaging for a hypothetical food brand, that sells south Indian breakfast on transit stations like Airports, Train stations, as well as Bus- stops. The three main items to be sold under this brand are Idli, Vadas, and Sweet Appams.

Designing the structure of the packaging was also an interesting challenge here. The intent was to stick to minimum wastage as well as highlight the cultural roots through the form. The name gives the idea of the brand providing tiffins, thus even the was designed to look like a tiffin, that can be stacked upon one another, to make as many combinations as possible.

Here used are Areca leaf bowls that are 100% bio-degradable and compostable. These bowls are extremely hygienic and non-toxic. They are so lightweight that they are widely used in the southern subcontinent of India for the purpose of eating. Thus, it makes it easier for the packaging to be adapted and accepted by the target audience. Easy sourceable and widely available, the target audience finds it comfortable to use the bowls and are well versed with the disposal systems.

The three attributes that describe this packaging solution best are
Low cost
Food safe
Eco-friendly

The packaging here has an essence of the culture practiced in southern India, as well as a modern take on sustainability and producing less waste.

In a country like India where people are always on the lookout for comfort food as they travel, many food chains resort to setting up franchises on transit stations. This demands them to think critically about the way they choose to package their food. Most often they fail to find the balance between a solution that has the right material, look, and also structure. Dip-In Tiffin was designed in an effort to find a synergy between these attributes, while also giving the audience a feeling of comfort and sense of belonging in a food package.

Taking the idea of Product Packaging combinations (PPC) here the consumption of food depends upon its packaging in order to minimize wastage. Right from the beginning where the mood board was curated, to designing the structure of packaging, every element is inspired by local stories and narratives, and age-old practices of using locally produced materials as utensils in place of plastics. Dip-In Tiffin is like an ode to those practices and those people, by giving them an identity that can help them inspire others in large numbers to look at Product packaging combinations as a solution to resort to.