If you've been on the road with me lately, you've probably seen me sporting a strange neon-orange toy. My new travel buddy is the Dopper water bottle, a Dutch eco-design made without the nasty plastic component BPA, and with a zero carbon footprint. It doubles as both a bottle and a cup-plus-carafe, and holds just about any beverage I'd like to drink on the go (hello roadies!).
But I'm not carrying this bottle just because of it's a great design and practicality. I'm also doing it because I want to actively promote tap water. Besides the fact it's is clean, fresh, and free, 40 percent of bottled water is simply repackaged tap water anyway, according to the documentary Tapped. So, I wouldn't know the difference. But what I do know is that with the Dopper, my water is a whole lot more stylish than what those other guys are selling - and cheaper!
Recently, I was lucky enough to meet the maker of the Dopper, Dutch designer Rinke van Remortel. He talked to me about his inspiration, sustainable design philosophy, and what he puts in his Dopper.
What was the inspiration for the Dopper?
When I see people on the street with disposable water bottles, I always think that's not a nice sight. They are quite ugly and I thought it would be nice to have something that is more fashionable, more beautiful to see. I was already thinking of some sort of product, then I saw a contest online seeking a sustainable water bottle design, and I thought it was worth a try.
One of the things I love about the Dopper is it's both a bottle and a cup. Where did that idea come from?
When I started out, I wanted to have a bottle and a cup. I thought, when you are a woman or a lady, it's not so nice to be drinking out of a bottle. When you are at your desk or at home, it's nicer to use a cup. So, I wanted to have a cup that was nicely integrated into the design of the bottle. You can twist off the cap and use it as a bottle and drink right out of it. Or you can screw off the cup part and have a carafe and cup at the same time.
I met a colleague of yours, and she told me the cup feature was more symbolic than practical. She said it works to "put water on a pedestal." What is your take?
Yes, that's indeed the story. The cup looks like an old fashioned cup or wine glass, which makes it more luxurious. So, it means water is put on a pedestal. Water is one of the things we need everyday and we don't really think about that everyday. For us in Western countries, it's a given fact that we have water, but in fact, it's a luxury.
So, are you using the design of the Dopper to send a message?
It's more than the Dopper itself, it's about eco-design. I think people are not really looking for eco-design when they are buying new products. They are not going to the shop saying, "I want a new bag, but it must be an eco-design bag." They just want a good bag. When they see an eco-design like this bottle, they first ask, "Does it look good?" And if it has another plus, like eco-design, that's another benefit.
But you're a sustainable designer. There must be a more altruistic reason you're in this profession.
I concentrate on sustainable design, but I try to be different by combining sustainable with luxury. With the Dopper, I hope there are reactions from people who are not really focused on eco-design, but are thinking the Dopper is a nice product. Then they hear the story behind it, and get even more enthusiastic. Maybe that will encourage them to buy more of these products, or in the end to make some morality change.
Will we see you using the Dopper, or catch you sipping bottled water?
I prefer tap water, but the water in the Netherlands is very good. I think in some countries, the water tastes like chlorine. Or people like mineral water better because of the story that it comes from the mountains and they think it's really pure and fresh. It's the marketing and the feeling behind bottled water that makes people think it's better. I never drink bottled water.
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