HILT is a manual toothbrush service that empowers its users to reduce their plastic waste by providing handles manufactured from a selection of longer lasting, recycled or degradable materials. An accompanying subscription service provides the users with bristle heads, these bristle heads are designed to manufactured using the minimum amount of plastic. However, users are also encouraged to return their old bristle heads to be recycled. HILT encourages users to stick with the service and keep recycling their old bristle heads through a points system that grants rewards and discounts on HILT products.

A simple toothbrush may not seem like a lot of plastic, but after accounting for manufacturing waste, plastic packaging and the sheer number being thrown away, the figures become staggering. Through the HILT website and app, users can track not only their plastic reduction, CO2 reduction and amount recycled, but also that of the entire HILT community, so together, they can see the difference they are making.

Design Team

Joe Miller - Industrial Design, UX Design, Service Design

HILT Toothbrush Handle Range

HILT Handle & Accompanying Packaging

Bamboo HILT Handle

Recycled Synthetic Tortoise Shell Hilt Handle

Recycled Toothbrushes HILT Handle

Stainless Steel Hilt Handle

Titanium Alloy HILT Handle

HILT Bristles & Freepost Return Packaging

HILT User

Design Process Summery

HILT's packaging is not only designed to be compostable, but also multi-purpose; subscribers can reuse the packaging to return old or used HILT products, where they will be recycled.

While the HILT brand and design language were inspired by Japanese minimalism, material choice also played a large part in the design of this project, not only in creating beautiful products, but also in creating a message of sustainability. Each HILT handle has its own environmental reason for being. Bamboo, a natural and renewable material. Recycled, using thrown-away products like conventional manual toothbrushes to reuse plastics. Food Safe Metals, extremely long lasting and can therefore be reused indefinitely.

The bristle heads are designed to simply slide onto the HILT handles, the clever clip mechanism is designed to be easy to remove without ever accidentally falling off in the user's mouth.

Learn More About This Projectx