Zeff’s Ubin recycling bins are a familiar sight in schools, offices, and sports facilities in Europe. Ubin bins are unique in that they are made of 100 percent post-consumer waste, so they truly part of a sustainable process of steering and reusing waste. When Zeff wanted to expand out from the B2B market into consumer’s homes, it contacted design firm Pentagram.
Working with the brand concept “technical and transparent,” Pentagram built off of Zeff’s existing foundation of minimalist design. The new Zeff identity has a technical feel that is offset by Earth-inspired greens and blues and natural-light photography. The wordmark mirrors the shape and curves of the Ubin containers. Even the way that the letters sit side by side reflects the way the recycling bins stand together.
The new identity even inspired improvements to the product itself. From the Pentagram website: “The brand identity subsequently influenced the product itself, with the introduction of a new set of Zeff waste stream colours that would sit as comfortably in an office or at home, as well as the introduction of the logo to the bin itself.”
