Refillable Package Design
Current packaging systems generate substantial waste, with single-use containers accounting for 40% of plastic waste globally. Even in refill-focused markets like personal care, existing solutions often rely on disposable cartridges or complex mechanisms that compromise user experience and ultimately lead to system abandonment. Field studies show that successful refill adoption requires both mechanical reliability and intuitive operation.
The fundamental challenge lies in creating refill mechanisms that balance product protection and contamination prevention with user convenience and mechanical simplicity.
This page brings together solutions from recent research—including airtight sealed flexible pouches with complete evacuation capability, interlocking rotatable sleeve systems for secure refill retention, and dual-chamber designs with controlled dispensing mechanisms. These and other approaches demonstrate how packaging systems can enable practical, consumer-friendly refilling while maintaining product integrity.
1. Refillable Dispensing System with Interchangeable Cartridge and Integrated Seal-Cutting Mechanism
C, 2025
A reusable, refillable dispensing system for containers like bottles and jars that allows concentrated formulas like vitamins or minerals to be added to existing liquids without disposable cartridges. The system has an interchangeable cartridge that screws onto an adapter on the bottle neck. Inside the adapter are cutting and sealing mechanisms that slice the cartridge seal and push it into the bottle without dropping it. The cartridge can be removed and refilled, reducing waste compared to disposable cartridges. The adapter also allows varying volumes and thread sizes for reusability.
2. Cosmetic Packaging Device with Interlocking Rotatable Sleeve and Housing Mechanism
PARFUMS CHRISTIAN DIOR, 2025
Refillable cosmetic packaging device that prevents using the refill without the case to maintain product protection. The device has a cosmetic product refill with a rotatable sleeve around the cap. The device housing has a complementary relief shape to engage with the sleeve relief. This connection prevents rotating the sleeve without the housing, making it harder to use the refill alone. The housing provides protection that the refill lacks.
3. Cosmetic Packaging with Axial Holding Ring and Flexible Tab Engagement for Refillable Container Retention
LOREAL, 2024
Refillable cosmetic packaging with improved refill retention and easier refill swapping. The packaging has a cover assembly with flexible tabs around it, and a removable refill container with an axial holding ring. The ring engages the tabs to hold the refill axially in the cover. Rotating the ring in one direction locks it, preventing accidental refill ejection. Rotating the ring in the opposite direction releases the refill. This provides secure retention and easy refill swapping. The tabs prevent clearance between the refill and cover, improving quality perception. The ring engages the tabs to indicate it's locked.
4. Pump Dispenser System with Airtight Sealed Flexible Pouch and Removable Connection for Complete Liquid Evacuation
CHENG ZHAN, 2024
A pump dispenser and packaging system for storing and dispensing liquid products from flexible pouches that allows convenient and reliable refilling without product contamination or residue left in the pouch. The dispenser has a pump assembly, connecting shell, and removably engaged flexible pouch. The pump and pouch seal airtightly. When dispensing, pushing the pump plunger balances air in the pump chamber while the pouch gradually vacuums. This prevents air from entering the pouch during dispensing. The airtight seal allows complete evacuation of the pouch. The removable connection simplifies pouch replacement without drips or contamination.
5. Cosmetic Packaging Assembly with Flexible Tab-Activated Refill Cup Locking System
LOREAL, 2024
Refillable packaging assembly for cosmetics that improves retention and ease of refill replacement. The assembly has a container, refill cup, cover, and locking member. The refill cup has flexible tabs that engage with the locking member. When screwed in, the tabs compress between the cup and member, then return to exert force keeping the cup locked. When unscrewing, the tabs allow extraction. This provides secure cup retention without needing screw threads on the cup itself.
6. Stackable Biodegradable Packaging Pots with Interlocking Elements for Compatibility with Thermoforming/Filling/Sealing Machines
EOCREP, 2024
Eco-friendly packaging solution for food products that allows using biodegradable materials in existing packaging machines. The solution involves creating stackable packs of biodegradable packaging pots that can be used in existing thermoforming/filling/sealing (FFS) machines. The packs have interlocking elements on opposite edges to connect adjacent packs into chains. This allows stacking the packs without additional equipment. The interlocking elements stabilize the stack. The packs can be made from biodegradable materials like molded cellulose. The packs can be filled and sealed using FFS machines without modification. This provides a way to transition to eco-friendly packaging without replacing the existing FFS machines.
7. Foldable Reusable Packaging with Hinged Side Walls for Compact Storage and Expanded Box Configuration
SIEC BADAWCZA LUKASIEWICZ - POZNANSKI INSTYTUT TECHNOLOGICZNY, 2024
Reusable packaging for shipping products that can be folded compactly when empty and expanded to protect items during transport. The packaging has a bottom, top, and four hinged side walls that can fold parallel to the bottom in a compact configuration. In the expanded configuration, the side walls pivot out perpendicular to the bottom to create a box shape for protecting items during transport. This allows the packaging to be reused multiple times by collapsing it when empty for return shipping.
8. Compact Twist-Top Milk Bottle Packaging Box with Integrated Rotatable Compartment and Filling Mechanism
CHIHLEE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, 2024
A twist-top milk bottle packaging box that combines milk powder storage and bottle filling into a single compact and portable container. The box has a rotatable bottom turntable with separate compartments for milk powder and a nipple. The top cover connects the compartments for filling the bottle with hot water before adding powder. This allows convenient carrying of milk powder and bottle in one container, eliminating the need for separate boxes. The twist-top design also enables easy operation by snapping the bottle cap onto the ring and turning the top to open/close.
9. Cosmetic Packaging Device with Removable Support and Integrated Lifting Mechanism
DE BASCHMAKOFF, 2024
Refillable cosmetic packaging device that is simpler to manufacture and use compared to existing refillable devices. The device allows easy attachment and detachment of refillable cosmetic products like lipsticks. It has a base with a lifting support that can raise and lower a removable support. The removable support can be attached to the product refill. The lifting support has means to securely couple the removable support when raised, preventing detachment during use. This eliminates complex locking mechanisms and allows easy refilling without disassembling the device.
10. Interlocking Cartridge for Vertical Filling and Packaging of Oblong Bottles with Separate Barrel and Cap Protection
LARRY SKOLLER, ALBAN PETITEAUX, 2024
Cartridge for filling and packaging oblong bottles for food use that allows automation, reusability, and protection of oblong bottles during filling and after filling. The cartridge consists of a lower part that protects the bottle barrels and an upper part that protects the bottle caps. The lower and upper parts can interlock to form a complete cartridge around multiple bottles. This enables vertical filling of unstable oblong bottles and secure packaging of filled bottles in a cartridge that can be easily transported and automated. The cartridge design allows adapting to different bottle and cap shapes while separating protection of the barrels and caps.
11. Sheet Packaging with Score Line for Removable Opening and Controlled Dispensing
DAIO PAPER CO LTD, 2024
Sheet packaging that allows easy refilling of sheets by using a score line on the packaging to form an outlet. The score line creates a removable opening in the packaging that can be torn to access the sheets. The packaging is wrapped around the sheet stack except for the top, where the score line is. This allows the stack to be stored in a dispenser and removed through the scored opening. The score line can have features like a slit, curves, and flaps to prevent tearing and sticking.
12. Spout Pouch with Reinsertable Stopper and Wing-Fused Shoulder for Portionable Beverage Dispensing
KPG CO LTD, 2024
Spout pouch for beverages that allows temporary sealing and portioning of contents. The pouch has a spout with a shoulder, neck, cap, and discharge passage. The shoulder has wings that fuse with the pouch film. The cap seals the discharge passage. The stopper inside the cap can be removed to open the discharge passage, then reinserted to temporarily seal it again. This allows drinking part of the contents multiple times by sealing between stops. The wings and molded cap features facilitate easy fusion and separation.
13. Folding Biodegradable Battery Container with Renewable Material Construction and Terminal Access Design
ACUMULADORES MOURA SA, 2024
Biodegradable, folding container for batteries that is made from renewable or recycled materials like corrugated paper or cardboard. The container is designed to replace plastic battery packaging that is discarded after each recharge. The folding container allows easy access to the battery terminals for recharging without breaking apart the container. It provides protection and shock absorption during transport. The biodegradable material reduces environmental impact compared to plastic. The folding design reduces waste by eliminating the need for new plastic containers for each recharge. The container can be flattened and reused multiple times.
14. Packaging Box with Overlapping Pretilt Partitions for Aligned Product Loading and Transport Stability
M & S CO LTD, 2024
Packaging boxes for individually packaged products like tubes or sticks that enable loading multiple products in an aligned state without gaps and maintain the alignment during transport. The boxes have trays with overlapping partitions that pretilt before filling. The upper partition pieces open one way and the lower pieces open the opposite way. The partitions overlap and have restoring force to hold the upright position. This aligns the products when loaded. The box opening accommodates the entire tray. Bottom loading compresses excess space around products using partition elasticity to prevent misalignment.
15. Reusable Cup Packaging System with Separatable Sleeve and Invertible Closure Mechanism
GREINER PACKAGING AG, 2024
A reusable cup packaging system that enables easy reuse and recycling by allowing separation and reuse of the container and outer part. The packaging has a cup-shaped container with a closure, enclosed in a sleeve-shaped outer part formed from a blank. The blank has overlapping ends that wrap around the container. The outer part has a foldable area that can be inverted to close the container opening. This allows the container and outer part to be separated for recycling. The container can be reused by inverting the fold area and closing it again. The outer part can be reused for new packaging.
16. Pocket Pouch with Dual-Chamber Dispensing System and Integrated Push Button Sliding Cam Mechanism
ADITYA UNIVERSITY, 2024
A reusable pocket pouch for dispensing disinfectant liquids and sanitizer gels with a unique design that allows simultaneous dispensing of both substances using a push button and sliding cam mechanism. The pouch has separate chambers for disinfectant and sanitizer, each with a nozzle. A valve control unit with a push button, sliding member, and locking pin opens both nozzles simultaneously when pressed. The design provides user comfort, prevents damage, and eliminates waste compared to separate pouches.
17. Reusable Packaging Box with Folding Plate Buckle Closure System
CHIN TANG PAPERWARE CO LTD, 2024
A reusable packaging box with a buckle closure that allows easy opening, closing and reuse without the need for tape or adhesives. The box has a body with a container and cover that encloses a space. The cover has folding plates that can be folded inward to form buckle grooves. The box also has a separate buckle piece that can be inserted into the grooves to secure the cover closed. This allows the cover to be easily opened and closed multiple times by buckling and unbuckling the cover. The buckle closure eliminates the need for tape or adhesives to seal the box and allows reusability without damaging the box when opened.
18. Interlocking Modular Packaging System with Complementary Securing Features for Variable Accessory Accommodation
BANKS AND ACQUIRERS INTERNATIONAL HOLDING, 2024
Modular packaging system for products with accessories that allows efficient packaging of products with variable accessory requirements without excess packaging. The system uses interlocking rectangular packages that can be joined together. The packages have securing features on one face that complement each other to allow joining. This allows packages to be nested and stacked when empty, then joined together when containing products and accessories. It prevents wasted space and allows flexible packaging configurations. The joined packages can also be sealed with a label spanning both packages.
19. Reclosable Carton with Dual-Fold Lid for Sequential Access to Multiple Product Rows
KONINKLIJKE DOUWE EGBERTS BV, 2024
Reclosable packaging carton for storing and dispensing multiple rows of products like tea bags. The carton has a lid with two fold lines. In the first configuration, folding along the first line opens the first row. In the second configuration, folding along both lines opens all rows. This allows sequential access to multiple rows without removing the lid. The fold lines also eliminate the need for an overwrap to prevent tampering.
20. Refill Packaging Pouch with Curved and Angled Seal Configuration for Enhanced Content Flow
TOPPAN HOLDINGS INC, 2024
A refill packaging pouch with an optimized shape for easier contents extraction while maintaining manufacturing simplicity and cost-effectiveness. The pouch has a unique seal configuration with features like curved wide seals, angled upper seals, and recesses. This allows the contents to pour smoothly out of the spout without getting stuck at the narrow mouth of a bottle. The inner seal edges are positioned closer to the bottom than the recesses. The pouch is formed by sealing overlapped rectangular sheets with side, bottom, and upper edges. The upper edge angles away from the bottom as it approaches the top corner.
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