RePacKit

RePacKit

A Design Toolkit for Inspiring Innovation in Reusable Packaging Systems (RPSs)

RePacKit was developed by Xueqing Miao in 2024 as part of her PhD research Paving the way towards reuse: Fostering consumer acceptance and long-term adoption of new reusable packaging systems (RPSs) by design. The project was carried out at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands, under the supervision of Prof. ir.dr. Ruth Mugge and Dr. Lise Magnier. The graphic design of RePacKit was created by Yuan Tian, an alumnus of TU Delft.

What is included in RePacKit?

RePacKit is a set of card-based tools structured around the SHIFT behavioural framework, which identifies five key psychological drivers of sustainable behaviour: Social Influence, Habit Formation, Individual Self, Feelings and Cognitions, and Tangibility. The toolkit includes three types of cards—Theme Cards, Strategy Cards, and Journey Cards. Each card type is designed to inspire and guide your ideation process, generate innovative solutions, and map user journeys for more effective RPS solutions.

What does RePacKit help you achieve?

RePacKit empowers you and your team to design RPS concepts that resonate with consumers by:

• Identifying barriers and enablers of reuse behaviour.

• Generating actionable strategies to shift consumer habits.

• Inspiring creative, user-centred solutions beyond conventional ideas.

• Facilitating collaboration between multidisciplinary team members.

• Supporting structured yet flexible ideation processes for RPS development.

How to use RePacKit?

RePacKit aims to inspire your ideation process. There is no single correct way or fixed sequence to use the cards in RePacKit. Instead, you can adapt them flexibly to suit your contexts and objectives. There are a few ways your team might make the most of RePacKit:

1. Transform existing single-use packaging into an RPS. Your team wants to transform existing product packaging into an RPS. RePacKit can help you identify which aspects of consumer behaviour need to change and provide strategies to support this transition.

2. Trigger new ideas for developing an RPS. Your team is brainstorming a new RPS and seeks novel solutions. RePacKit can trigger unconventional ideas that push beyond current solutions while aligning with consumer needs and preferences.

3. Spark a reflection and discussion on an existing RPS. Your team has already launched an RPS but is experiencing low consumer engagement. RePacKit can help uncover overlooked barriers and stimulate discussions on potential strategies to address them.

4. Support experiments to enhance an RPS. Your team seeks to improve an existing RPS through experimental interventions. RePacKit offers a wide range of ideas that can be developed further and tested in experiments or real-life pilot programs.

Who should use RePacKit?

RePacKit is an ideation toolkit for design teams, product managers, sustainability consultants, and cross-functional innovation groups committed to making reusable packaging systems viable, feasible, and desirable for future consumer markets.

Why choose RePacKit?

By combining rigorous research with an accessible, engaging format, RePacKit bridges the gap between academic insights and design practice. It equips teams to create RPSs that not only reduce packaging waste but also encourage lasting behavioural change among consumers—contributing to a more sustainable society.