Acorn Office Products
Design from 1982 - 2000
Including Coatstands, 'BIG-BIN' revolutionary waste bins and
Contempory Hook Range
In the early 1980's I designed packaging in corrugated board
for my own range of giftware and for a range of office furniture.
I had re-designed coat stands and coat hooks, and refined the
manufacturing processes with packaging and distribution in mind.Like
many other designers, I experimented with the structural possibilities
of furniture made from board etc..
However, having worked in graphics, print and marketing I was
aware that when simple materials are printed, they become a
product with added value, especially when used in the appropriate
context.
After much experimentation, I relaxed my initial resistance
and produced the most obvious solution, which could easily utilise
packaging manufacturing - a waste bin.
Until then, office waste paper bins had been of the overflowing
bucket variety.
They were not big enough and were tucked out of sight. Lightweight
and cheap board meant that I could produce huge receptacles
and print in such a way as to encourage proper waste management.
We brought rubbish out of the closet and our 'BIG-BIN' logo
helped in the creation of the re-cycling concept.
Our differently imaged bins helped in materials separation
and enabled trading in waste - the only way to make re-cycling
work.The bins were obvious tools for corporate promotion.
I designed promotional literature and personally delivered
samples to Coca-Cola in Atlanta. Coca-Cola now uses the bins
all over Europe.
Like Sellotape and paperclips, variants and imitations can
be found in offices all over the World and some institutions
are still using bins purchased over ten years ago.The product
looks so obvious, why hadn't it been thought of before?
more copy soon......
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|Copyright © 2006 Garry Lavin
