Packaging

CanO Water: No More Plastic Water Bottles

British entrepreneurs have turned to aluminium for a recyclable and refreshing alternative.
27 March, 2017
It seems like a humble enough aluminium can, but this new eco-friendly water product could have majorly sustainable benefits.
Created by three friends in the UK, CanO was the beverage of choice among the smart set at this year's Vanity Fair Oscar's Party – and it is getting more celebrity attention from British model David Gandy and singer Ellie Goulding.

Yet for all its star power, CanO water is designed to be easy to open, easy to use and easy on the environment. Founders Ariel Booker, Perry Alexander Fielding, and Josh White brought CanO to market with high quality water sourced in the Austrian Alps, and customers don't have to attend an A-list party to enjoy some. The demand for the slim, stylish aluminium cans means they are available in 320 locations now, including retailers like Selfridges and Whole Foods as well as university campuses, hotels and gyms. CanO products are now being shipped to China and the Czech Republic as the idea catches on fast.
The aluminium dream behind CanO was born when Booker took a holiday trip to Thailand and canoed to an island he found littered in plastic trash. "The sea facing side of it was devastated — covered in plastic bottles, washed up nets, and rubbish," he said in recent media interview with Business Insider.

"It was a real eye-opening moment for me," Booker adds. That's when the three friends got together and decided that if they packaged a premium water product in aluminium cans, they'd be able to offer an alternative to plastic that's fully recyclable while protecting its contents better than clear plastic.
"None of us had a clue about this industry," Fielding says. "We just had so much belief in the product and the purpose it serves, so we thought, do or die. We quit our jobs and put everything on the line."
Image: Refinery29
Marketed as "water with a purpose," the CanO contents include pure water with an alkaline pH of 7.9, free of color, odor and any off taste. What makes it really attractive, though, particularly to health and environmentally conscious millennials, is its social brand and its promise to protect the environment.
Image: CanO Water
Tall aluminium cans with a splash of minimalist twist were chosen intentionally, the founders say, because it's the most recyclable of all the materials that can be cost-effectively considered, including glass and plastic. The 330 ml cans are filled with either still or sparkling water, and can be ordered online if people aren't living near a brick-and-mortar retail store. 24-packs currently sell for £17.19.
They also come with a new feature: A resealable lid that makes it possible to open a can on the go and enjoy it much as you would a plastic-capped bottle. It also means that you can refill the cans if you like, and keep each of them in use for a little longer. That will keep more aluminium in daily circulation, and – at least in some small way – reduce the amount of plastic that threatens marine life or ends in a landfill.

Banner image: Bechance