Dog Bowls To Go

What it does

The product is a single-use dog bowl made from pig bladders: it uses a waste product from meat production that’s naturally waterproof and foldable to make a bowl that’s lightweight and robust. After its use, it can be eaten by the dog, leaving no waste behind.

Your inspiration

I've always struggled with the environmental problems around eating meat and I strongly believe that if we consume meat, we should at least use every part of the animal and not waste anything. This led me to think about parts of the animals that are usually thrown away and one of those are bladders. They are a typical waste product of meat production, but if we look at them as a material, they are quite versatile: they are naturally waterproof, making them ideal for food/water bowls, they can be molded like leather and easily dyed. The also taste delicious to dogs, making them the ideal material for a dog bowl that can be eaten after its use.

How it works

Pig bladders are naturally waterproof and can be molded into different shapes just like leather or wool. When dried after molding, they are similar to pergament and can be folded and easily carried around in your pocket. Even though animal bladders are often considered "dirty" and unappealing, they are food-safe and hygenic and have historically been used for a wide array of objects, from footballs to waterproof document containers. To transform the raw pig bladders into dog bowls, they are first dyed and then stretched over wood molds and dried. After that they have the typical form of a dog bowl and can be folded like paper to make them easily transportable. When you need the bowl, you simply unfold it and pour water or food into it. If filled with wet materials, the bowl holds its shape for around half an hour, easily enough time for the dog to eat or drink. Afterwards the bowl is an attactive snack for the dog and can also be eaten.

Design process

I initially wanted to make sustainable to-go cups for humans, but soon realised that dogs would be a much more fitting target group, as they love the bladders' taste. To make the prototypes, I started with bladders in their raw state, unwashed and with the ureter still attached, so the very first step is to wash and clean them of any excess parts right away. As long as the bladders are fresh, they only smell a little, but it’s definitely important to process them quickly, as they tend to get an unpleasant smell after a couple of days if they are not processed further. After washing, the bladders are dyed, either with food coloring or with natural dyes. After that, the bladders are stretched over molds, in a similar way to how leather or wool is typically molded. As soon as they are dry, they are taken off the molds and ready to be used as bowls. When they are dry, they have a parchment-like quality. They are pleasant to touch and can be folded. I specifically used pig bladders (rather than cow bladders, for example) for two reasons: firstly, their size is ideal; when molded, they are around the size of an average dog bowl. Secondly, pigs are one of the most slaughtered animals in Europe and I wanted to demonstrate the huge quantity of waste we could be reusing.

How it is different

I think one unique aspect of the project is the material itself: In Austria alone around 8 million pigs are slaughtered every year and as many of their bladders are thrown away, even though they could be useful and versatile as a material. The potential of animal bladders as a material has until now hardly been looked at and I believe my project is only one of many potential use cases for this material. Another aspect that makes the project unique is making a single-use product for pets. Even though to-go cups for humans are widely used, they don't exist for dogs, although they too might need convenient, on-the-go water and food containers. My particular concept has the added advantage that unlike normal single-use products, it does not produce waste, rather it uses waste as initial material. As an added benefit, the product and its potential as waste "disappears" after its use, because of its appeal as a snack for dogs.

Future plans

Currently, I am developing the molds for the bowls further, mainly with regards to shape and optimal handling. Working with wooden molds has the advantage that the material is somewhat breathable and lets the bladder dry from all sides, but a mold made out of, for example, finely perforated metall or plastic, might make the molding process easier. Furthermore, I am continuing to work on dying methods: While in some prototypes I used dog-safe synthetic food dye, it's also possible to dye the bladders with natural dyes such as curcuma (s. img 5), which could be more appealing for sustainability-conscious users (and potentially tasty for dogs).

Awards

The project hasn't been awarded any prizes, but was featured and exhibited here: https://design-milk.com/juliane-fink-makes-edible-dog-food-bowls-from-pig-bladders/ https://zeitung.faz.net/webreader-v3/index.html#/466141/30 https://www.dieangewandte.at/festival