Absolute plastic-free!

Instant ramen is one of the most popular foods in the world partly because of its sheer convenience; using instant ramen as a base, one can prepare a meal in minutes.

Unfortunately, that convenience has, until now, necessitated the need for plastic. The instant noodles can only stay fresh when protected against air and moisture, so ramen is commonly packaged in a plastic pouch, or, in many cases, a styrofoam cup, which gets wrapped in plastic film. In many instances, the plastic packaging is unrecyclable, adding to the growing and acute plastic pollution crisis.

VAD ÄR DET?
The film gets infused with different flavors and ingredients, such as chili flakes, and then wraps around the ramen noodles, which get packaged in paper to keep everything sanitary.

NYTTAN DEN GÖR OCH FÖR VEM?
In addition to being plastic-free, Grounds made some other tweaks to improve the instant ramen experience. Her ramen is toroid-shaped, improving the broth bases’ solubility while decreasing cooking time. The doughnut shape also fits better in a bowl than a traditional ramen brick.

VAD TJÄNAR MAN PÅ DET?
Product designer Holly Grounds set out to create a plastic-free solution to ramen’s conventional, wasteful packaging, creating a biofilm that is not only edible but also serves as the soup’s base. The film gets infused with different flavors and ingredients, such as chili flakes, and then wraps around the ramen noodles, which get packaged in paper to keep everything sanitary.