Barilla, Marie Kondo, LePub Italy Repurpose Pasta Boxes For Positive Environmental Impact

In celebration of the recent Global Recycling Day (3/18), Barilla and renowned tidying expert and bestselling author Marie Kondo are looking to inspire sustainable living with the creative and inventive reuse of pasta boxes, empowering individuals to make a positive impact on the environment, as a sign of love for the planet.

Recent research has highlighted the significant environmental footprint associated with transportation, particularly in the fashion industry. Transportation alone contributes over 20 percent of global CO2 emissions, with the fashion sector projected to produce 6 million tons of CO2 by 2030.

As consumers become increasingly conscious of the pollution generated by the shipping of clothing and accessories, there’s a growing awareness of the need to adopt sustainable practices. This awareness extends to packaging waste, with discussions on platforms like X, TikTok, and YouTube reflecting a surge in concern about excessive packaging materials accompanying online purchases. Consequently, the thriving second-hand market is witnessing a surge in demand for alternatives that prioritize eco-friendly packaging solutions3
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In response and to celebrate this inventive spirit, Barilla has initiated a collaboration with Kondo to introduce innovative ways to repurpose pasta boxes, offering consumers a sustainable alternative for packaging and shipping their items. In this video, part of a series of tutorials, Kondo teaches viewers how to reduce waste by repurposing otherwise discarded packaging. With her signature expertise, Kondo provides pasta lovers with folding techniques and tips for maximizing space to efficiently fit their items into Barilla’s iconic Blue Box.

As part of its commitment to a greener future, Barilla actively acts to reduce its environmental impact on the planet. With more than 99% of its packaging designed for recycling, Barilla is dedicated to sustainable practices across all aspects of its business. Additionally, over 99% of the paper and cardboard used by the company is sourced from responsibly managed forests.

Ideated by creative agency LePub Italy, the project showcases Barilla boxes as an ideal vehicle for shipping pre-loved garments. The initiative will be amplified on social networks thanks to a series of international influencers who will replicate Kondo’s folding techniques to ship items. This video was directed by Tomonao Sakurayashiki via production company Bird and insect.

“Global Recycling Day was the ideal moment for Barilla and LePub to team up with Marie Kondo. Thanks to her unconventional expertise and shared values on sustainability, the project was a perfect match and opportunity to demonstrate that minimizing waste can be creative, effortless yet impactful. By using Barilla’s pasta boxes, we gave an original and fresh twist, hopefully leading to a possible concrete environmental change,” said Bruno Bertelli, global CEO of LePub and CCO of Publicis Worldwide.