‘Dissolving Bottles’ That Leave Zero Waste Hit Shelves In Europe

Image via BBDO Asia

To cleanse the planet of packaging-related pollution, advertising giant BBDO’s Filipino arm BBDO Guerrero made waves in 2021 with its innovative eco-friendly creation, The Dissolving Bottle. This ingenious concept reimagined traditional shampoo packaging as one with its contents, combining it all into a solid, sustainable shampoo bar.

Now, the solution has left the shores to enter international waters.

The Dissolving Bottle project introduced bottle-shaped shampoo bars that closely resemble the small toiletries we’re all familiar with. However, instead of twisting open the lid to use the product, you simply lather up with some water.

Image via The Dissolving Bottle

Each soap bar effectively replaces a 90ml plastic bottle, bringing a fresh approach to personal care products. Weighing just 130 grams, these blocks are crafted from all-organic ingredients, and they’re produced locally in the Philippines by The Naturale Market.

Image via The Dissolving Bottle

Since there’s power in numbers, BBDO Guerrero open-sourced the design, allowing other brands to create their versions of The Dissolving Bottle and collectively cut down on plastic waste. Additionally, the agency made the molds available at cost to artisanal producers for community-driven livelihood projects.

Now, this groundbreaking solution—which has received dozens of awards including Cannes Lions and The One Show accolade—is making its way to Europe through a partnership between BBDO Guerrero and LUORO GmbH, a sustainable e-commerce company based in Cologne, Germany. The Dissolving Bottle will become part of LUORO’s plain b brand, bringing its eco-friendly impact to a global audience.

Image via The Dissolving Bottle

European shoppers will be able to obtain the shampoo “bottle” in four options: Shiny Rose, Red Blood Orange, Patchouli and Cedar, and Fresh Aloe Vera.

The urgency of addressing plastic pollution cannot be overstated, with a staggering eight million metric tons of plastic waste finding its way into the ocean every year, with the personal care industry being a major contributor to this environmental crisis. 

“As a company that promotes climate action with safe and sustainable shopping, we are immediately drawn to the Dissolving Bottle due to its simplicity and yet profound impact on the environment,” notes Louis Bahlmann, co-founder of LUORO. “We know that through this partnership, we can further champion our goal to make sustainable living available for everyone.”

David Guerrero, creative chairman at BBDO Guerrero, says he hopes the Dissolving Bottles will be the first of many steps taken outside the Philippines to promote sustainable and responsible lifestyles for the planet’s benefit.

Consumers residing in Germany and the rest of Europe can soon pick up a Dissolving Bottle from the plain b and WingGuard websites. Every purchase will aid efforts in collecting plastic waste from coastal regions in Asia and Africa, as part of a collaboration with Berlin environmental nonprofit CleanHub.

Following this, eco-conscious shoppers in Austria will be able to get their hands on the packaging-free shampoo bottle at major health and beauty store BIPA.

As the world grapples with plastic pollution, The Dissolving Bottle stands as an innovative solution that has the potential to reshape the personal care industry and significantly reduce its contribution to environmental degradation.

[via Media Brief, The Dieline, BBDO Asia, The Dissolving Bottle, images via various sources]