Plasticoff is more than an idea, it is a transforming action for the world. Our intention is to generate a change in consumer habits that will allow us to live in a more sustainable and cleaner world.

This innovation seemed unimaginable a few years ago, but today it is a reality thanks to PVOH technology, so we have already started its implementation in several countries. Our next step is to invite the entire industry to join us so that all the plastic they use in packaging is made of our water-soluble plastic, so that we can enjoy plastic-free natural environments.

Around the world, plastic production has become a very serious problem since of the 9 billion tons of plastic produced worldwide, barely 9% has been recycled. Only in the home appliance industry, 120 million tons of plastic are silently produced every year and 70% goes into the sea.

Whirlpool is a company that has been developing technology with purpose for 110 years, so it wanted to launch a campaign to care for the environment and protect our planet by transforming the way it sells its products, contributing to the improvement of the environment where people live and caring for their future through sustainable and environmentally friendly products.

So we worked with a technology capable of transforming traditional plastic into water-soluble plastic: PVOH. At the beginning, the cost was a limiting factor, since it is a little higher, but fortunately the brand understood that it is an investment for the future.

Upon receiving an appliance, most consumers first unpack their product to make sure everything is okay. Then they take all the garbage that came out of the packaging, including all the plastic, and place it in a deposit where it will later reach the trucks and then the oceans.

We understood this situation and set out to prevent all that garbage from continuing to pollute. Thus was born Plasticoff, the first water-soluble plastic developed for large-scale packaging of Whirlpool products, which leaves no toxic residues in the environment. We started the plastic change in the brand's premium models of washing machines and very soon we'll apply it to the entire commercial line. And not only that, we'll also share our technology with the entire industry so that they can apply it to the packaging of their products.

With Plasticoff, we’ll transform every wash cycle into life cycles for oceans.

The development of Plasticoff began in April 2021 and lasted approximately one year. In a first phase (April-July 2021), we worked with a series of plastics contemplating a number of factors that are mandatory by the Whirlpool plant: durability, heat resistance, thickness, reliability, flexibility and solubility. We went through trial and error.

In a second phase (August-November 2021), we continued working to find a stronger plastic, until we finally found PVOH polyvinyl alcohol, a polyvinyl alcohol that showed good strength, heat tolerance, reliability and solubility. Finding this component was a turning point in our development.

In a third phase (December-March 2022), we began to implement the plastic in a batch of our appliances (a line of washing machines), with the intention of conducting pilot tests with consumers and testing its resistance to transport, heat and different climatic conditions. The plastic adapted perfectly and proved to be a pleasant revelation for consumers, who immediately associated the brand with the term innovation. March 2022 was the date when the first official Plasticoff patent was finally issued.

And in the fourth phase (April 2022), with plastic already tested and proven to solve Whirlpool's and the environment's problems, it was implemented in the brand's premium washing machine models at a regional level, which reached end consumers in different parts of Latin America through a series of activations at points of sale, shopping malls, e-commerce and social media. Since its launch, the innovation has become a milestone for the company due to its great acceptance and increased sales.

For Plasticoff development, we worked with a team of scientists, engineers and developers to create a plastic strong enough to package our products based on PVOH polyvinyl alcohol, which together with polyvinyl alcohol, created a sustainable design: a plastic that disintegrates completely in just one minute thanks to the chemical construction of its materials, is environmentally friendly, resistant and free of toxic waste.

The development process of our innovation was carried out in four stages:

1st - Material testing

2nd - Disclosure and implementation of PVOH.

3rd - Pilot testing of a batch

4th - Final launch.

This technology was implemented in a brand's premium washing machine models on a large regional scale and will soon be applied to Whirlpool's entire commercial line, reaching all countries where the brand is present. Since its launch, it has been widely accepted by consumers, avoiding the waste of thousands of tons of plastic.

Plasticoff is an innovation with a positive impact on the environment, which we'll share with the rest of the industry so that they can apply it in their packaging process and we can enjoy plastic-free natural environments that will allow us to have a more sustainable future.

Plasticoff is an innovation that we intend to implement very soon in the entire Whirlpool commercial line, as it has been a milestone for the brand.

Despite the short time since its launch, sales have increased exponentially from 120 thousand units to 250 thousand units sold per month. The objective set out in the brief was not only met, but exceeded expectations, giving the brand a purpose and changing its image in the eyes of consumers.

As a scalable solution, we want to share our innovation with the rest of the industry, so that they implement our plastic in the packaging of their products, preventing more plastic waste from reaching the oceans and destroying marine life.

Whirlpool knows about taking care of things, and with this innovation, it is changing consumers' habits to live in a more sustainable and plastic-free world.