Since the beginning of time, art has been used as a medium of storytelling. Cultures around the world used have used visual mediums to pass down histories and myths between generations. From Ancient Greece to the Roman Empire, Mesopotamia to the Renaissance, art has always been an important vehicle for representation and meaning in society.
In contemporary contexts, art is often used for social commentary or to bring awareness to global issues – and the art depicted on Sustain’s OzHarvest Collection is no different. The sustainable range of disposable cups come in three unique designs crafted with iconography that draws attention to different areas of our environment and encourages customers to consider the various elements of sustainability. So, what do each of the designs represent?
The Four Seasons
Australia supplies a large variety of fresh produce both domestically and internationally and Australian Agriculture accounts for over half of Australia’s total land use (over 300 million hectares in total)2. Farmland is a crucial part of our country and promoting sustainable land practices and sustainable management of farmland is pivotal to creating a better environment for us and future generations.
Split into four panels showcasing the changing seasons across the same farmland, the Four Seasons cup was designed to reflect Australia’s strong agricultural elements. Seen through the lens of the seasonality of produce, the long-life of the supply chain, and the importance of well-managed land in maintaining that beautiful environment.
Australian Fauna
Koalas are an instantly recognisable national symbol of Australia and Australian wildlife. Due to land clearing, logging, increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere3 and the unpredictability of longer bushfire seasons – which has consistently been attributed to rising global temperatures4 – the iconic marsupials are currently facing unprecedented threats to themselves and their habitat. The koala was chosen to be a part of the design as both a symbol of Australia and to represent the continued efforts of many businesses and organisations to better protect and manage our forests in the fight against climate change.
The yellow background the koala sits against is the instantly recognisable brand colour of the not-for-profit food rescue organisation OzHarvest and was chosen to promote their work in redirecting surplus food to feed those in need. OzHarvest and Bunzl partnered together to develop Sustain’s OzHarvest Collection and have committed to donating the equivalent of two meals to feed Australians in need with every carton of the collection sold.
Mindfulness
The third and final design in the collection depicts a large tree set against the backdrop of a beautiful setting sun. Sunsets are a continuous occurrence that can be seen from almost any city and are one of the most recognisable images in the world. Every morning sunlight is scattered by molecules in the Earth’s atmosphere making it difficult to distinguish during the hustle and bustle of the day, but when the sun reaches its lowest point at end of the day more rays can pass through the atmosphere – causing warmer tones to become visible and resulting in a sunset.
The silhouettes are of a large tree shadowing a singular figure who is admiring and contemplating that light in a moment of stillness – and all comes together in representation of mindfulness.
Sustain’s OzHarvest Collection displays an array of meaningful and powerful symbols that showcase the importance of sustainable action in Australia. Paired with sugarcane pulp lids that are both renewable and recyclable, the collection puts the solution into your hands.
Download Sustain’s OzHarvest Collection Product Flyer Here
[2] Australian Agricultural and Grazing Industries Survey, 2016, ABARES; Catchment scale land use of Australia – update December 2020, ABARES; ABS Agricultural Commodities, Australia, 2019–20 (cat 7121).[3] Koalas. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/koala. cts on Bushfires. 2022, December. AdaptNSW. New South Wales Government.
