Sustainable laundry water strategy.
Unilever sought to radically reduce laundry water consumption in regions with limited utilities. In emerging markets like India and China, traditional bucket washing dominates, excessive water use, poor hygiene, and disconnected value delivery were the norms. The challenge: design systems that conserve water, integrate seamlessly into existing behaviors, and support Unilever’s sustainability goals.
RKS deployed extensive ethnographic research across rural India and China, closely observing local laundry habits and water constraints. Using our Psycho‑Aesthetics® framework, we mapped emotional and behavioral drivers, trust, dignity, control, against functional needs. This research uncovered deep pain points surrounding hygiene, water scarcity, and daily ritual burdens, guiding our solution strategy.
In-depth user immersion and field study reports from emerging markets
Emotional behavioral mapping via Psycho‑Aesthetics®
Strategy workshops aligning Unilever’s metrics with cultural realities
How We Used Psycho-Aesthetics™ to Identify Unique Opportunities in the Project.
Using our proprietary Psycho-Aesthetics® 2.0 framework, we conducted in-depth interviews and ethnographic observation in diverse lab settings. We identified key emotional and usability pain points — such as intimidation with complex interfaces, workspace clutter, and trust in precision. These insights guided both the form and interface strategy, ensuring approachability and confidence in operation.
We crafted ergonomically optimized buckets and product adjuncts that echoed local form factors but elevated usability. The design emphasized intuitive operation, low cost manufacturing feasibility, and sustainable material choices suited for large scale deployment.
Concept CAD visualizations and ergonomic mockups
Prototype buckets with integrated flocculant delivery mechanisms
Engineering feasibility reports for cost effective mass production
Through a multi stakeholder innovation sprint including marketing, chemistry, and finance teams, we reframed bucket laundry ecosystems. This led to radical design proposals such as water saving buckets with integrated flocculation pills, enabling single bucket laundering, reducing rinse cycles, conserving water, and even benefiting soil moisture
Open innovation sessions with Unilever cross functional stakeholders
Concept models (e.g. pill enhanced bucket system)
Value chain integration plans for water efficiency and sustainability impact
Working from RKS’s designs, Unilever progressed packaging and dosage delivery into real world formats. From powder pills with ease of use cues to bucket labels demonstrating use steps, our design made adoption seamless and educational.
Packaging formats and labeling guidelines
Dosage delivery mechanisms optimized for local use
User trial feedback cycles to refine visual and functional design
This initiative exemplifies RKS’s ability to blend empathetic, deeply human centered research with industrial innovation. By embedding sustainability into everyday rituals, we helped Unilever envision and design a behavioral shift, turning laundry into a water wise act with social, environmental, and emotional resonance across low resource settings.
Status: Conceptual innovation fully developed for pilot testing
Impact: Supports Unilever’s global water reduction goals while enhancing wash hygiene and user satisfaction
Strategic Value: Positioned Unilever as a sustainability leader in emerging markets and informed product pipeline development
Strategy
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