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Japanese KitKats Are Replacing Plastic Packaging with Origami Paper
- cjg 7y agoKitKats always used to come with metal foil (not plasticised) and a paper covering. I remember making small squares out of that paper and making origami models. http://www.heatspaceandlight.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Kitkat-original-in-foil-and-paper.png http://www.heatspaceandlight.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/...
- flyingfences 7y agoIs that the case in all markets? Japan, from all I hear, tends to wrap products in a lot of unnecessary plastic, so I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Japanese KitKats are wrapped with plastic to align with Japanese consumer expectation. Given that the article quotes a specific amount of plastic that Nestle is expecting to save though this substitution, I'm almost certain that their packaging is currently plastic.
- xxpor 7y agoThis is my biggest problem with Asian bakeries. Everything's individually wrapped in plastic.
- arghwhat 7y agoIt's for some weird reason an Asian thing. Go to a bakery in China or Japan, buy 3 pieces of pastry, and you will walk away with 4 plastic bags. It's especially annoying in Japan, as they also have super strict garbage policies and no possibility to dispose of things in public. That by itself is a great idea, if only they would stop giving me so much unnecessary garbage to carry around.
- nitrogen 7y agoSomeone previously mentioned on HN that the extra packaging is due to Japan's humidity.
- dwoozle 7y agoJapanese humidity is a bit of nonsense. Places like Florida, India, Singapore, and Brazil all have much higher humidity.
- arghwhat 7y agoHmm, coming from Denmark, I don't find Japan particularly humid, and we certainly don't wrap bread or pastry products. It would also be quite outrageous to make any generalizations about Chinese weather, considering just how big that particular pile of dirt it.
- cwkoss 7y agoJapan has a strong gift culture, many things come wrapped in many layers for the purposes of gifting. I think plastic bags containing individually-wrapped-in-plastic items come from this idea: you can give someone a single item without worrying about contamination from unclean hands. Hi-chews are a good example of this. I remember buying a few items at a department store in Japan and the clerk individually wrapped each item in paper, then wrapped all the items together in paper, then put it all in a paper bag. They extensively use a 'heavy tissue'-like paper to wrap many items. A decorative plate I bought as a gift for my grandfather was wrapped in about 20 sheets of this paper. Great protection, but it did feel a little wasteful.
- deleted 7y ago[deleted]
- blue_devil 7y agoThe worst part is most of this packaging is really high quality - I've reused paper bags and what not endlessly, it'd take ages for the stuff to fall apart. Mottainai.
- NeedMoreTea 7y agoWhen I was a young un, KitKats, Aeros, and all chocolate bars came in thin aluminium foil and a very thin paper wrapper, just like your KitKat pic. Foil was usually colour coded by flavour. 100% recyclable, even in the 70s. Mars bars, Crunchies, and other bars were wrapped in greaseproof paper folded envelope style and sealed with gum. They were the right shape and weight for small paper aeroplanes for annoying teachers. :) There was a selection of playground origami models traditional for the various other size sweetie and choc wrappers that were mainly greaseproof or waxed paper.
- jedimastert 7y agoDoes anyone have any data on when candy bars started switching to plastic from the foil and gloss paper method? I'm 25 and have some hold outs on the very edge of my memory.
- flyingfences 7y agoI've never been one to eat many candy bars, but I seem to recall the transition generally being about fifteen years ago.
- ghostbrainalpha 7y agoThe change was to "flow wrapping", and its mostly about the speed on the production line. But there's an interesting piece on the change here: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/why-is-chocolate-rarely-w_b_4099561 https://www.huffpost.com/entry/why-is-chocolate-rarely-w_b_4...
- aasasd 7y agoSony's Clie PDAs back in early–mid-2000s came with a CD in a paper tray-package. It was a thin box of sturdy paper, the size of a ‘jewel’ case, but from a side of it slid out a tray, also of paper, with the disc on it. And it didn't come out all the way but was held by something inside. I realized then that Japan treats its papercraft seriously.
- tossAfterUsing 7y agoorigami paper... and microplastics?
- michaelcampbell 7y agoWhat makes paper "origami paper"?
- blue_devil 7y agoTried to find some source in Japanese - it seems like it's just ordinary paper actually: https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASM8144JVM81PLFA006.html https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASM8144JVM81PLFA006.html Also will initially be applied to only 30% of the Kit Kats sold in Japan (5 types), they will change the packaging for the rest by 2022.
- PHGamer 7y agoits fine if the product is superior (paper straws aren't to plastic ones). i wonder how this will handle melted chocolates. I guess as long as it does degrade when that happens.
- kevin_thibedeau 7y agoAll candy used to be wrapped in paper, including Kit Kats. They will be fine.
- untreasure 7y agoI remember them being wrapped in foil and the foil was wrapped in paper. The paper would not have been in contact with the chocolate.
- fyfy18 7y agoWhat's wrong with paper straws? I've found they can't really be reused, but that's the point, as most plastic straws are used once and thrown away.
- asutekku 7y agoThis is only popular here in HN because of japan. A lot of countries have used non-plastic paper for ages. But the ah always so mysterious japan makes it seem so interesting.
- SpicyLemonZest 7y agoIt really doesn't seem necessary to rip on people for being interested in things.
- paulcole 7y agoI don't think they're ripping on people. It's a fair point that this makes the front page because people on HN love stories about Japan. Try searching HN for titles with "Japan" in them vs. for example, nearly any African country.
- mickotron 7y agoYes people are generally interested in Japan, it's an interesting place. This story is also interesting because: Nestle is a huge company KitKat is very popular within and outside of Japan Changing the wrapping from plastic to paper, for this product, in this volume, is a big deal. If this link was for a similarly large market, meaning its environmental impact was similar, I would read it and be impressed, regardless of where it's from. Yes Japan is fetishised by westerners but this story would still be interesting without it being related to Japan.
- paulcole 7y agoMy point is that if this link was for a similarly large market, you wouldn’t read it and be impressed because you wouldn’t find it on HN. The article’s content is almost pointless. It’s the Japan connection that gives it a huge boost here.
- tinus_hn 7y agoSo weird that there’s more tech news from a country that has an enormous tech industry than from countries where people have to spend their time dealing with famine, tribal wars and preventable diseases.
- iRobbery 7y agoslightly off topic, the black kitkat, those are dark chocolate kitkats? The green packaged one is for sale now here, but now i learned there is a black one. (which they dont sell at our local supermarkets)
- blue_devil 7y agoMaybe someone on HN can get their hands on one and report back? Could be some kind of "oiled" paper, not sure.
- raldi 7y agoJapan has dozens or maybe even hundreds of different Kit Kat flavors that cycle into and out of production over the seasons.
- mywittyname 7y agoI just found sweet potato and chestnut flavored versions on Amazon.
- jcomis 7y agoHere's a link to buy them: https://www.amazon.com/Nestle-KitKat-Dark-Chocolate-Flavor/dp/B006R6PLVO https://www.amazon.com/Nestle-KitKat-Dark-Chocolate-Flavor/d...
- noodlesUK 7y agoYes, it’s a dark chocolate version. You can often find them in Japanese/Asian supermarkets if there is one near you. They’re pretty good.
- kuroicrow 7y agoSo Cool! I am envious of all the varieties of Kit Kat available in Japan. Take that, Plastic Vortex in the Pacific!
- Grue3 7y agoI once bought a small Meiji chocolate with absolutely brilliant carton packaging. It looks like this: https://www.oyatsujiten.com/x/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/mc_stic.png https://www.oyatsujiten.com/x/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/... The part where it says "open" can be opened and closed many times with a satisfying snap into place. Definitely recommend grabbing one if you see it somewhere.