Not Rotten

Compost Bags 2.0
Municipal composting programs are steadily rolling out in cities across the United States, and millions of people are beginning to compost for the first time. The most common bags used to collect food scraps are made from PLA, or corn starch. This material isn't ideal as it takes a great deal of energy and time to decompose and can be hard to distinguish from standard plastic bags. In fact, many cities won't even accept them. However, there isn’t yet a great alternative in the US. I set out to see if I could design and manufacture a home compostable bag that would be widely accepted by compost facilities, better for the environment, and provide a cleaner, more convenient experience for residential customers.
Materials Research
Now, I may be comfortable getting up close and personal with my coffee grounds, but selling something like this commercially does require the bag be leakproof. This necessitates an inner barrier coating with good moisture and grease resistance, and preferably one not made with PLA. There are several companies currently developing compostable coatings made with cellulose, starch, sugarcane, and seaweed, but not much is publicly available, yet. Despite this I have been lucky to find a partner interested in applications for a new bio-based film they are developing, and am in the early stages of working with them to bring it to life.
People Research
Looking for feedback on this idea, I recruited test users in NYC where they are currently rolling out composting services, and sent prototype bags for them to try out and report back on their experience. I wanted to know what works best for them - what size bags they prefer, where they store their compost, how they dispose of it, etc. The feedback has been very helpful and led to important design considerations.
The Brand
Gallup polls report that the people who waste the most food have the most economic privilege, which makes sense. Thus a Whole Foods shopper is a good persona for a potential target customer. The brand strategy and visual direction is designed to appeal to an eco-conscious consumer, especially those with kids.  I came up with the name Not Rotten, wanting to make the benefits and purpose clear while also being light-hearted. If we can't make fun of trash, really, are we even living?
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