Klong! – A New Ecological Way to Say Hi

Project

268380

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Submitted

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NEW EUROPEAN BAUHAUS RISING STARS : concepts or ideas submitted by young talents (aged 30 or less)

Project title

Klong! – A New Ecological Way to Say Hi

Full concept/idea title

Description

Klong! is a new, eco-friendly way to have a meditative moment and say hello to your closest. The innovative cellulose mass inside the package enables you to convey your touch and presence wherever you want to. And answering is easy! The material for correspondence is included in the same set. In addition you get a cool varying coaster every time you buy a package. Caring, design and functionality – all in the same kit. Just let your body do the talking!

Where is your concept/idea being developed or intended to be implemented in the EU?

Please provide a summary of your concept/ idea

Digitalization, social media and pandemic have limited our ways to fulfill the natural need to share physical affection, to be social and present. Sometimes we forget, that communication does not have to be fast and instant but instead, slow and meaningful.  As an answer to these issues, we created a product and designed a visual concept for it. KLONG is an eco-friendly recyclable way to pause the daily chaos and say hello to your closest. Instead of just texting, the innovative cellulose mass gives you the opportunity to form your own greeting with it. KLONG enables easy correspondence, when writing a letter can feel overwhelming. Just imprint your own feeling to the cellulose, and send it forward. Fun and easy right? No need to sweat about the postal costs, KLONG envelopes include stamps for a smoother experience. The envelope also contains both mass and envelope for the recipient to answer you with. To make it even more fun and sustainable, the multifunctional KLONG packaging includes a varying cardboard coaster to collect. The coaster can for example be designed in cooperation with some environmental agencies or organizations to promote sustainability and nature conservation.  Caring, design and functionality – all in the same kit. Just let your body do the talking!

Please give information about the key objectives of your concept/idea in terms of sustainability and how these would be met

KLONG package is all about sustainability. The compact cardboard package in its multi functionality reduces waste and the cellulose mass is bio-degradable. The whole package is easy to recycle, due to wood-based materials.  KLONG can also promote sustainability and other important values, since the visual concept is flexible. The cooperation with various different organizations would provide a broad set of possible promotion subjects. The organizations could be about human rights, environmental activism, nature conservation or social well-being, the potentialities are endless. With different cooperative parties, the visual concept varies, and thus makes the coaster a collectable element. The KLONG experience can inspire to critically think about one's consumption habits and maybe encourage to make a change, even a small one for the better. 

Please give information about the key objectives of your concept/idea in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience beyond functionality and how these would be met

The base of KLONG visual concept is bold, colorful and easy to modulate with different promoting subjects. The logo design is a homage to traditional postal stamps and marks with its wavy lines, that is also used in the coaster shape to maintain an identifiable identity. The wavy lines that loop to the stamp-like shape, represents perpetual motion, that we think correspondence can be.  The balanced squared package shape with some scripted text is charming and easy to approach. The mix of scripted text and sans serif typeface supports both credible and relaxed visual identity.  The product name KLONG is inspired by the sound of a letterbox, that indicates something new and exiting. It gives the recipient joy and an opportunity to stop and take a moment to enjoy a message. KLONG is a nice change to the everyday digital soundscape and a catchy word. 

Please give information about the key objectives of your concept/idea in terms of inclusion and how these would be been met

KLONG aims to unite not only people familiar with each other, but also people that suffer from loneliness by cooperating with a social organization to help with such matters. This subject is very current due to the on-going pandemic.  KLONG can link artists and designers with organizations, encouraging the collaboration between different sectors. This kind of united action can provide new and more innovative solutions to foster important values.  KLONG enables communication without words, thus minimizing possible language barriers, making letters more accessible. 

Please explain the innovative character of your concept/ idea

KLONG is an alternative, new and easy way to send a letter and start a correspondence in this society of social media and fast communication. We want to treasure the significance of sending letters, but with a completely new twist. Even if writing a letter feels overwhelming, KLONG is an inspiring option encouraging further correspondence. KLONG might just be the start of a life long pen pal.  The new intriguing material inspires to take a moment and truly think and feel the message. 

Please detail the plans you have for the further development, promotion and/or implementation of your concept/idea, with a particular attention to the initiatives to be taken before May 2022

We have been in contact about the material development of the cellulose with Aalto University professor of ChemArts, who specializes in innovative materials. Our next step would be further development and production planning of the material by contacting Finnish cellulose producers.  As earlier stated, we have designed the visual concept and identity for KLONG. We have designed material for some marketing forms, visible in attached photos, like social media and ads for public space screens.  KLONG values physical form of communication and old school hand written letters. To cherish the practice of sending letters, KLONG would be a good opportunity to have a handwritten letter writing workshop in elementary schools, and connect different schools. To remind the younger generations about importance of physical connection. 

By ticking this box, you declare that all the information provided in this form is factually correct, that the proposed concept/idea has not been proposed for the New European Bauhaus Rising Stars Awards more than once in the same category.