Painting can be a fun way to express our creativity, but it can also be harmful for the environment if brushes and rollers are not cleaned properly after use. Our client, AkzoNobel, asked us to design a solution to make amateur painting more sustainable.
Right now, most people either throw away the brush right after use or clean it under running water in the sink. Both these actions are quite dangerous as they lead to paint being released into the environment (through landfill leakage or in the sewers). Since the polymers present in the paint formula are very hard to clean out of the water in treatment facilities, these particles can come back in our drinking water. The final problem we formulated was then: How can we make it possible for amateur painters to deal with brushes and rollers sustainably after use to prevent water contamination?
After in-depth research in the topic and interviews with people and potential users we found out that solutions to the problem already existed on the market, and the main problem was the almost complete lack of awareness on the matter. Our final prototype consisted of three components, to make people more aware of the problem and make solutions more available. We designed a temporary carton shelf, ideally sponsored by AkzoNobel, where costumers could find available solutions to keep the paint out of the sink (e.g., brush-cleaning baskets, single-use cover for roller tray, brush cleaner and wipes etc.). To be placed next to the shelf in the stores, we designed a poster with catchy slogans and some basic information on the topic and a link to our social media campaign, the last component. This campaign, designed manly for the TikTok platform it aims to reach the younger generation with short, catchy videos that rely on trends for a fast and wide spread of information.
