This day also involved a venture into a concept product design and CAD exercise, like my previous task on a sausage tray idea. This time a new client wanted a riji fibre salad bowl, similar to others on the market, but with a denest feature. To start my creative process, I carried out some reference research into these bowls mentioned by the client and others in the sustainable packaging scene. Most of these bowls had a rounded base, as this was more practical to hold, with a single denest raised in the centre.

I also carried out some primary research later on in the internship for the head of KCC, where I investigated the bowls sold in Café Nero and Pret A Manger. I really enjoyed this activity as I was able to practically engage with the product and understand its place within the shop environment.

This research and inspiration was of great help for sketching out some visual examples of the client’s request. The sketches below show two bowl designs with slight variations to the steepness of the bowl shape and positioning of the denest features.

I had basic information on the scaling of this product as it was a fairly new design, and most existing salad bowls were shallower than the idea requested. Even with pencil sketches, these drawings would be tricky to digitally recreate in CAD with such little information, especially in working out sizes of the bowls flange and desired shape for the base denests.

Regardless of this uncertainty I still tackled the next step of my process, the user functionality and specification sketches. The user visual is shown below, with each design feature highlighted to indicate how it would benefit the overall function of the bowl. This includes the denests, with three spaced out and raised slightly around the edges of the base.

I also added other aspects that would increase the product’s usability, these would be an indent inside the bowl near the top edge to indicate a fill line, as well as an overhanging flange to make it suitable for film sealing or a clip-on lid.

The rough specification sketches cover the basic measurements for the bowl. These limited numbers were provided by the client because only the size of the bowl needed to be visualised. Although, I still referenced an average scale for the height of the denest bumps from my original sketch. This was based on the design in popular salad takeaway bowls and would be helpful for drawing them in CAD.

To see the finished AUTOCAD drawing in better quality (the jpeg is just for visual reference) click the button below!

The first video shows a quick snap-shot at the start of the drawing process, where I used the circle tool to lay out the diameter in the top view.

This second video captures the beginnings of the denest features.

The third video reveals the point where I modelled the side view of ‘DESIGN 1’, which is the successful outcome and bowl shape with a radius of 118mm.

The fourth and final video shows the bottom perspective of the bowl, along with the creation of the poorly and unpractically designed bowl shape of ‘DESIGN 2’.

The course for this week’s tasks was initially hampered when I was notified by my NHS app to self-isolate for seven days from the 17th of June. This was by far one of the main personal and practical challenges of the week, being concerned that my ability to work effectively would be impacted.

However, judging by the quality of work I produced this week, the exact opposite occurred. I was determined not to let this small hurdle dampen my motivation. This was helped by the miracles of modern technology, with zoom and WhatsApp being the tools that maintained the strength of my communication to the KCC team. It made me feel like I was still a part of the experience despite it being away from the office environment.

The work produced this week also revealed various subjects to explore beyond my internship. For example, my learning on recycling contamination proved that there is more to the packaging industry than just CAD and product design. I am now more aware of the numerous social, environmental, and political issues that come with the production and disposal of packaging products.

The main task on this day was to create the visual and verbal content for two Instagram posts. The first themed around the environmental benefits of ‘A Circular Economy’ and the other based on the importance of compostable packaging in ‘The Food Waste Stream’. Both posts required research to create each description, as I had never known of these topics in detail until now.

The general takeaway from this was that a circular approach to anything involves the end or ‘waste’ products being re-purposed for something else. An example of this being how KCC’s fibre material can be recycled into compost at the end of life and be used for biofuel or as fertilizer for soil.

This concept lead perfectly onto my learning in ‘Food Waste Streams’. Currently, most packaging covered in food waste (depending on local facilities) is rejected at recycle points and is diverted to landfill. This food then degrades and, in the process, can release harmful gasses (methane) that are 25 times more harmful than carbon dioxide! However, if made from organic materials, like riji, these containers are recyclable when contaminated with food waste.

For the ‘Circular Economy’ visual, I gave my sketch designed for ‘The riji Difference’ booklet new life, by combining it with a photograph of compost. This composition with the KCC logo in the centre and an accompanying product image looked very effective. The ‘Food Waste Stream’ visual was equally fun to make, by positioning the typography at a perfect angle so it appeared as if it was printed on the bin lid in real life.

On this day, I was set the challenge to present a series of informal notes made by the manufacturing engineers in an editable spreadsheet. These notes covered the issues and problems with the machinery experienced by the team during its construction and testing.

This spreadsheet was needed to formally list these notes so they can be easily read and addressed for the better of the company as it progresses to a fully functioning production line. I started this important task by typing out these notes to check for any repeats, ready to be organised into a excel spreadsheet.

During this time, I also was requested by the salad bowl client to make some changes to the dimensions and size of the title block sheet. This was for visual purposes and to illustrate to the client how the idea progressed from my original pencil concept sketch. To see the changed version of the original AUTOCAD drawing in better quality (the jpeg is just for visual reference) click the button below!

At the end of this day, I also used my independent time to take the first set of product placement photographs for ‘The riji Difference’ booklet. This was a fun photo shoot that showed the process, from oven to serving, of how a riji tray can be used for baking. Despite these images not being used in the final version of the booklet, I think that they are still a series of well-considered and edited images.

Following on from yesterday’s challenge of presenting KCC’s manufacturing notes, I managed to complete the task. The result was a labelled excel sheet with each issue listed with accompanying sections, such as ‘date’ or ‘actions required’ etc., to be edited when addressed in future meetings.

This model will be a handy tool to be used by the team in further manufacturing and production processes. I also added a severity column (ranked out of five) that will make this even easier, as it will highlight the issues that are the most important and identify problems that could result in more problems if not rectified first.

The second activity on this day involved a meeting with the head of KCC to receive feedback on my progress with ‘The riji Difference’ booklet so far. For visual reference, I screen-shotted each page on the software ‘Microsoft Publisher’ (preferred by the head of KCC for the document) to illustrate the development of the booklet at the end of my internship.

Overall, the response was mostly positive, considering it was the basic outline of the book. I personally wanted lots of critique as I feel that this is how the best version of a product is achieved and how the most beneficial learning experience is gained.

For the title page (see above), the background and banner imagery hit the mark for matching KCC’s branding seen on their website and other collateral media. The only changes suggested were to change the heading green to match the riji logo and increase the colour intensity of the rest of the composition. It was also mentioned that the rice tray image should be changed to another wet food tray that would contrast with the brown tones on the page, such as a curry with orange sauce.

The first page aimed to answer the classic what, where, when, how and why of everything related to riji as a material. The emphasis was to describe it as a container because this is the product that KCC is mostly known for.

The adjustments were mainly needed in the appearance and structure to the wording on the page, including no capitals for subheadings and correct use of terminology for specifying the riji material. It was only the top left sketch that needed to be edited so the colours were brighter.

The solo product page (see above) and third pages only needed minor changes. For page two, there was rewording required for each annotation, and for three it was suggested that the brown diagram should be green to make it more eye catching. The illustration of the sugar cane in the banner was also pointed out as too ‘dull’ and needed a dash of colour. See this below.

It was still a work-in-progress for the fourth page of the booklet, as I had a vision to add a few images from my cake photoshoot once these had been fully edited on Adobe Photoshop. Although after showcasing the results of this baking venture, the head of KCC felt I could improve them even further. There was a lack of lighting and clear contrast in these images (like the cover photo), which is key in achieving the ‘commercial’ quality of photography seen in supermarket food magazines.

The fifth page was the most important in the entire book, as the idea of presenting the ‘advantages’ of riji to readers is what inspired the idea behind a digital booklet. The bullet point layout was a good start to the page, despite the structure of the sentences being too vague.

It was suggested that these should be laid out with a ‘fact’ about riji that is backed up by its benefit, because mentioning the benefits of something is guaranteed to maintain the viewer’s interest. The last page was well received, with no improvements needed at that point in time.

In response to the feedback on ‘The riji Difference’ booklet, I carried out some additional research. This explored the layout and basic structure of digital booklets made by existing packaging companies.

During this search I came across the amazing booklet by ‘Bidfoods’, which entailed the various packaging products they offer and covered the properties of each material. Their design approach for the booklet, using organically inspired colours and well-lit product images, was highly inspiring for my own work.

With this high-quality reference, I considered the actions required to meet the head of KCC’s desired improvements. Three main objectives were to carry out more photography sessions of the riji tray in use, enhance the current illustrations so they are more ‘colourful’ and ask for help from the team secretary to work through the wording in the booklet.

I started this process by editing some of my drawings already in the document, including some designed for KCC’s Instagram posts. These enhancements were done by hand, using colouring pencils, and digitally in Adobe Photoshop with the contrast and lighting tools. This minor effort made a surprising difference to my drawings, and I was very pleased with the overall results.

The other task of the day was to create Instagram content around the theme of ‘Topsoil’. I am now more aware of the difference between topsoil and compost, but also how they are vital for maintaining all life on earth. In summary, topsoil is the top layer of land that is formed over time and is therefore made up of lots of organic matter that serves as nutrients to make plants grow.

Compost is often confused with topsoil but is instead produced over several weeks and can only be made certain conditions (e.g., dark/damp).The end result of composting is an enriching fertilizer material that can be used to enhance the properties of topsoil. Therefore, together they make for the ideal soil structure.

The visual (see below) for the post was a simple but detailed pencil drawing, illustrating how the recycling of organic materials into compost is vital for the growth of future ecosystems.

The process of condensing and rewriting the manufacturing line notes required an extensive amount of concentration and time. I wanted to make sure all the information was covered correctly, as this could be economically and functionally vital for the future efficiency of KCC’s container coating process. Despite this hard work, I still enjoyed grind and liked the shift to more admin-based tasks from practical and creative activities.

Introducing photography and baking into the workings behind ‘The riji Difference’ booklet was a fun way of enhancing my learning experience. This combination of media, sketching and digital editing is key to a unique design outcome in any area of digital media.

The process of receiving feedback and then following it up with extra research reminded me of the importance of keeping up to date with the current trends in design. This practice will broaden my current and future knowledge on a subject and reveal certain ideas to benefit my own thought processes.

Prior to my final week at KCC, I carried out a second product placement photoshoot to follow up on the improvements for ‘The riji Difference’ booklet. This involved making another ‘riji cake', but with extra consideration of the lighting and composition of each scene. The outcome of this was a series of photographs that illustrated a clear baking process, from oven to plate. My positive impression of these images was shared by the head of KCC, who was impressed by the consideration and focus on the subject.

On the other hand, my efforts to produce a new food tray image for the front cover was not as successful (see images below). Despite having a good quality camera, food, especially when made up of wet or lumpy ingredients, is very hard to photograph.

The result, as with my attempts at capturing a chicken curry with rice, is often that the food appears unappetising and therefore detracts from the rest of the image. This is not the impression you want to make before the viewer has even began to read the booklet.

The long deadline for the completion of ‘The riji Difference’ booklet meant this was not an urgent project at the time, and so I was happy to continue to experiment with new photographs beyond my internship to achieve an image to the standard expected by the head of KCC.

For the rest of the booklet, there were minor changes to the text and imagery, but the main content was presented ready to be utilised by KCC in the future. The second version of the booklet is shown in the screen shots below, I plan to create a final PDF (see 30th June) when all changes and improvements have been made.

The image above captures the front cover with the changed food photograph at the top. I agreed with the feedback that it appeared to not match the quality of the rest of the page. The first and second pages also needed slight changes to the wording of certain sentences.

The cold and hot icons on page two should have been coloured to match their meaning (blue and red), this will simplify the meaning of each annotation even more.

There was no improvements needed for pages three and four, these were by far the strongest sections of the booklet. In fact, the only issue with these pages and the rest of the booklet, was the different banner image used to the one on the front and back covers. The head of KCC suggested the design would appear even more consistent if the banners in the main body also matched these pages. I thought this was an excellent idea and would match the ‘organic’ theme of riji.

The improvements to the advantages list on page five were clearly laid out with a fact and benefit structure. There was even room to elaborate on these riji facts, as suggested by the head of KCC to add greater narrative to the page. A request to remove the statistics on page one means a reference page (6) was no longer relevant. This was a sensible move as it made the reading order of the booklet more logical.

For the final page, there was discussion of changing the wording of - ‘how could riji help you reduce your carbon footprint’ - to something different. Despite liking this myself, this would be changed by the head of KCC when the booklet was due to be finalised. The team wanted a phrase that involved the idea that if producers choose riji, they can serve their customers with a new environmentally friendly food packaging alternative.

The last Instagram content I made for KCC related to identifying the differences between ‘compostable and biodegradable’. Prior to the internship, I had not known they were both two very different processes. In basic terms, if something is biodegradable, it cannot be compostable.

This is because anything, either man made (e.g., plastics) or naturally occurring (e.g., vegetable peels), can break down over a varied time span. The process can result in the release of harmful chemicals/gases and leave a metal residue in the ground. Whereas items that can be composted or are compostable can break down in less time (in the correct conditions) and create a nutrient rich compound that can be used as a fertilizer. This is another reason why compostable packaging is a better choice for our planet and soils.

The visual for this post was surprisingly more challenging to produce than sourcing the facts for the description. This was due to a request to create a cool transparency effect that combined an image of compost with typography. It took me numerous attempts to achieve a perfect balance between the two elements of the composition. The eye-catching and professional appearance of outcome made the challenge worth it, and I learnt how to better use Adobe Photoshop’s layer tools in the process.

Another activity I carried out on this day was learning about denest features on circular objects. After discussion with the head of KCC on their idea to create a hummus pot, I discovered that denests on circular based products need to be oddly spaced out for them to work. This makes the stacking pattern random and decreases the likelihood that a denest bump will fit into itself when on top of the same product.

This enables items to be easily lifted by hand, rather than nesting tightly together. If this occurs the friction could cause damage to the item during transport or in the attempt to separate it from the one below.

This exploration also inspired the creation of a mini mood board (see above) for future reference in an industry packaging design principle. I found a selection of images that showed a denest feature on a series of commercially sold compostable pots and recyclable plastic cups.

The last day was a fun opportunity to enjoy my remaining time at the factory. The most notable event was a final meeting with the head of KCC to conclude my internship. We discussed the potential for me to come back at some point near the end of the year.

Below are the additional images I took for ‘The riji Difference’ booklet. There is also access to my final version (as of the time I left KCC) of the booklet through the button below. This was successfully handed over to the head of KCC to use in the future promotion of the amazing riji!

Although not as action packed as the previous weeks, this week was a great opportunity to discover more information about denests and conclude my internship with a positive meeting. I now know a considerable amount about a wide range of subjects within packaging, and so could potentially apply this to my next industry related venture.

Overall, my summer placement at KCC was an amazing insight into the packaging industry. It was a was highly engaging experience, from being in a factory and office environment to applying my own technical CAD and creative skills into day-to-day tasks.

The environmental drive behind the business is an approach to packaging that I have interest in pursuing myself, so this internship was an educative but fun opportunity to see how this will shape the future direction of the industry. I enjoyed observing how teamwork and communication are equally as critical in an office environment, as my university assignment project groups. Over the five weeks I believe my design practice skills and personal confidence levels have considerably improved.

The variation of activities meant I could equally challenge my current CAD practice, by designing something from scratch, along with my academic independence, after having the responsibly of laying out official documents. Next time, I would want to spend more time learning about the history and time line of the business, to understand the more technical parts of KCC. This includes the manufacturing and production of their products, or even the science behind the coating applied to the trays and how this is made food safe.

Regarding CAD, the time length of the internship and the availability of machinery also limited the opportunity for me to access a 3D printer. However, my exploration into the principles of the subject via research still offered some benefit. Also, during my final meeting with the head of KCC, there was discussion of this occurring and more if I were to visit again towards the end of the year.

The other outcome of the placement is a lasting client contact and friendships that will last beyond my placement, with mention of potential employment after university.