San Francisco-based Method is finding success with its innovative packaging configuration for its liquid hand soap refills. Method’s refill pouch is now widely available across the country and according to Method’s Katie Molinari will be expanding into other forms of their liquid soaps by March.
The pouch itself is a stock pouch from Winpack International in Hayward, CA. The pouch was added to the Method lineup to serve as a refill for the teardrop hand soap bottle Karim Rashid designed.
Method’s design team led by Creative Director Stefanie Hermsdorf wanted the pouch to be translucent as opposed to opaque. “We wanted translucent because it showed off the colored liquid inside in the same way that our existing bottles do,” said Molinari.
Method is currently working on expanding their refill pouches. In March Method will offer pouch refills for its foaming hand wash and also add a refill pouch for its popular “go naked” hand wash to its existing liquid soap refills.
The company is also working on a redesign of the graphic design for the pouch. Addressing concerns over readability of some of the white text on its current pouch refills, Method’s new pouches will be white with “images of the colored bottle scattered across the front in a free-form mosaic,” Molinari said.
According to Method the refill pouch uses 83% less plastic than a similar PET bottle and in turn needs less energy to produce. “Consumers are responding well to the refill and we encourage our customers to purchase refills when available as they use considerably less plastic than thick PET containers,” said Molinari. Method hand wash refills are currently available at Target and other stores including Home Depot, Schnucks, Gristedes and more.