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CASE STUDY · SPECIAL SOLUTIONS · PRODUCT DESIGN

Biodegradable pet urn: a design that returns to the earth

Biodegradable pet urn: structural paperboard design

How can a farewell become an act of new life? At A1Pack, we developed a plantable urn with two compartments: one for a pet’s ashes and another for soil and seeds. The design brings together function, structure and meaning.

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PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT CASE STUDY · SPECIAL SOLUTIONS

An object for a farewell and a new beginning through planting

At A1Pack, we approached the biodegradable pet urn through a design question: how can ashes, growing medium and seeds be combined in one product ready for planting? The solution was a faceted paperboard structure with two interlocking containers. The project required decisions about containment, closures, folding, user experience and preparation for manufacturing, giving physical form to a remembrance ritual.

White faceted pet urn with a small plant on a table

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01 · The challenge: containing ashes and making room for a plant

The urn needed to fulfil two distinct functions within one object. Its lower section would hold the ashes. An independent upper container would hold soil and seeds or a small plant. The complete assembly would then be placed in the ground. This sequence required a secure base, a firm connection between containers and an opening suited to plant growth. We also sought a calm, considered form that could be produced in paperboard.

  • Need: combine a pet’s ashes and space for soil, seeds or a plant in one urn.
  • Use requirements: keep the contents separate, allow assembly and facilitate planting of the complete unit.
  • Design challenge: create a carefully shaped paperboard object with functional closures and viable production.

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02 · The concept: two compartments forming one urn

The solution consists of two interlocking bodies. The lower container holds the ashes; the upper one provides space for growing medium and seeds. Each material stays in its own compartment while both parts function as one unit. The complete urn is intended for burial, allowing the plant to grow from the top. We developed a prismatic silhouette with faceted surfaces formed through folding. Its geometry and function express the purpose of the project.

  • Lower container: a compartment intended to hold the pet’s ashes.
  • Upper container: an interlocking space for growing medium, seed germination or a seedling.
  • Experience: the complete unit is planted in the ground as an act of remembrance and continuity.
Woman beside a plant and a white pet urn in a garden
White faceted pet urn beside a perforated lid

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03 · Paperboard engineering: folds, closures and prototypes

Developing the paperboard volume required translating a three-dimensional form into flat pieces suited to cutting, creasing and folding. We studied the surfaces, fold lines and connection between the containers. We also reviewed the bottom closure to improve ash containment and simplify assembly. Prototypes helped assess proportions, stability, access to the upper compartment and placement of seeds or a seedling. Each adjustment needed to preserve the product’s form while facilitating die-cut production.

  • Geometry: a prismatic volume with faceted surfaces formed from folded paperboard.
  • Prototyping: review of interlocking connections, base closure, top access and ease of assembly.
  • Manufacturability: pieces prepared for cutting, creasing and die-cutting processes.

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04 · From prototype to product: a solution for planting

The biodegradable pet urn developed through form studies, prototypes and adjustments informed by actual use. This process helped refine closures and compartments and accommodate both seeds and seedlings. Production alternatives and a possible transport and presentation box were also explored. The result is a two-piece system that combines containment, planting and form through folded paperboard. The case shows how industrial design can turn a sensitive need into a functional, manufacturable object while considering the people who will use it.

  • Result: a plantable urn made of two containers with complementary functions.
  • Development: structural improvements informed by testing and use requirements, including the option of placing a seedling.
  • Project value: industrial design, sensitive use and production development combined in paperboard.
White faceted paperboard urn holding a plant outdoors

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Design can give physical form to what we feel.

The biodegradable pet urn combines two functions: holding ashes and providing growing medium for a plant. A1Pack developed folded geometries, interlocking connections and paperboard prototypes to make this possible. Designing special products requires understanding the people who use them, defining the role of each part and resolving how the object will be manufactured.