Forget Paper or Plastic, Wrap it Up in Banana Leaves!

Today the majority of disposable goods are wrapped in man-made, often petro-based materials that usually last far longer than the items they protect. With many companies spending millions on R&D searching for more sustainable alternatives, an Israeli designer named Tal Marco has taken a decidedly low-tech and refreshing approach to package design with his use of natural banana leaves. Banana leaves are highly flexible, easy to open and have a naturally waxy surface that is ideal for food applications.

Banana leaves have been used for centuries as plates and for preserving and cooking food in India and South East Asia but have unfortunately been overlooked in most of the western world. Although not a completely novel idea, Marco’s design uses die-cut leaves that can be folded into numerous forms and lend themselves well to many retail applications. His design was showcased in Designboom’s “Dining in 2015” design competition and the concept puts many of the most “environmentally friendly” packages on the market today to shame.

Designboom’s Dining in 2015 Competition

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