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International Home + Housewares Show 2014: Compleat Offers Discrete Brown Bag Options

By Core Jr - March 17, 2014

in International Home + Housewares Show

Content sponsored by the IHA

Reporting by Morgan Walsh, photos by Ben Gross and Ray Hu

"Americans eat tall food." This was what Tom, the representative for the line Compleat told us when we quizzically picked up a laptop-shaped lunch box. As a Norwegian, Tom explained how his lunch fit in the hard-sided Foodbook (pictured below), a slice of bread here, a slice of bread there, another here and another there—each neatly separated by a cross-shaped removable partition. Though Americans may not typically bring four pieces of bread for lunch, we were already brainstorming other edibles that that would travel well in Foodbook. The obvious choice is pizza, but other ideas included a chicken breast with rice, bowtie pasta salad, a salmon filet with sliced carrots and peppers.

Foodskin (at top and below) is Foodbook's smaller cousin—size-wise it is the iPad Mini to a Macbook Pro. But rather than a double-sided plastic shell, one side acts as a frame for a stretchy silicone film. This silicone has a dual purpose, it can accommodate bulkier or oddly shaped items, but also serves as a retainer, keeping an unwieldy (and tall!) baguette sandwich neatly stacked. Once the food (or anything that needs secure transportation) is removed, Foodskin returns to a flat state and fits neatly into a purse or tote bag.

Foodbag, a third product by Compleat, is a silicone container created in the image of the most recognizable lunch box—the brown paper bag. The container's wide opening makes it easy to fill, eat out of on the run and unbelievably simple to clean after use. Salads and the very-Midwestern tacos-in-a-bag would travel nicely. Once empty the bag rolls into itself and, like Foodbook and Foodskin, is easily transportable. Bringing your lunch is really only a drag when you have to carry boxy to-go containers around after your mid-day meal.

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dongzo

10 years ago

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I've found silicone bakeware tends to impart a plasticy taste to food, and simultaneously tends to absorb flavors as well. It also tends to fail by tearing. I don't know why there's the ongoing tendency to make everything out of silicone, aside from bright colors...This would also be a lot heavier than a good ol' plastic bag.

I can't see directly filling that with wet food either, i.e., 2 cups of stew (it wouldn't be microwavable either) so you'd have to shove a rigid container into there past its grippy sides.

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Dan

10 years ago

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interesting concept but why don't we work on redesigning the food system and how we can feed the millions of people who can't afford or have access to the ingredients of this sandwich V.

http://unikia.com/foodskin.html

Also what are the environmental impacts of producing this? silicone, plastic etc? Does our food need more petroleum plastic touching it? How does one carry this? and something with any chance of moisture would most likely drip through.

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