Fewer scratches with less material

Did you know that we have products you preferably shouldn’t notice in your home? FIXA stick-on floor protectors are one example. They hide under chairs, sofas, tables and flower pots and do an important job in silence. When we redesigned them, we created a product that fits more homes better, but it also resulted in less material use.

“Most floor protectors are round or square”, says Percy Norrman, engineer and involved in the development of FIXA floor protectors. Together with his colleagues, he looked into what positive effects a new shape on these soft helpers could mean. They started by cutting off tiny pieces around the edges.

Minimal design for great savings

“We made them hexagon-shaped instead, like the honeycomb in a beehive. It’s a common shape in nature, and it’s a good way to utilise space effectively. The shape fits different furniture legs better, no matter if they’re round or square,” says Percy. Another plus is that less material is needed. Percy and his team calculated that the small pieces they peeled off equals in average 40 million saved floor protectors each year. “With large volumes, every little change can make a positive difference. And since we also can fit more protectors on each sheet of paper, we need less packaging material too.”

The details that make a difference

The FIXA protectors consist of 70 percent recycled plastic. Percy says that it’s possible to make more than 100 protectors from one single recycled 1.5 litre PET bottle. “In addition, we were able to reduce the number of steps in the production chain by not bleaching the recycled plastic, but instead keeping its natural colour. The new design fits more homes better, but perhaps best of all – it means more efficient use of resources and less impact on the environment.”