Minus Water Filter

Press Kit

Unique Properties

Minus is a zero-waste tap water filter that fits in your pocket. It uses tap pressure to push water through the filter, instantly cleaning it from chemicals, bacteria and odour. Filter's natural indigo colourant washes out with use to let the user know when their filter needs replacement, eliminating any guesswork. Combined with easy filter return service (drop off at any post box) followed by recharge and reuse, Minus is the first water filter designed to be truly circular and sustainable.

Dimensions & Packaging

Minus size: 190mm x 37mm x 53mm
Filter size: 80mm x 35mm x 35mm
Box size: 350mm x 100mm x 47mm

Tags

circular design, sustainability, water, filter, zero-waste, reuse, activated charcoal, plastic pollution, portable, travel

Production Technology

Minus is made of durable stainless steel that is rubber-coated for better grip when wet. Both lids are food-grade rubber. Inside there is precision-manufactured seal designed to fit all common tap sizes. Filter media is made of activated coconut charcoal infused with silver particles to prevent bacterial growth. Carbon is wrapped into the ion-exchange textile for enhanced filtration. Carabiner and front part of Minus body feature threaded fastening and are removable for easy cleaning.

Design Challenge

Designing a simple visual way of communicating that filter has reached its capacity, instead of relying on generalized time periods that are currently an industry-standard, was a challenge. It took a lot of research and prototyping, exploring various materials as well as mechanical, non-mechanical and electronic means of counting water volume to land on the beautifully natural solution of indigo colourant.

Project Duration

The porject started in April 2020 in Mosocw, Russia, and finished in June 2020.

Operation Flow

1.Find a tap, turn on the water;
2.Open Minus's both lids, prepare the bottle;
3.Press Minus against the faucet, wait for 5-10sec;
4.Put the bottle against the edge of the sink. It takes around 10sec to fill a 0.5l bottle;
5.When the bottle is full, remove everything from the tap. Turn off the water;
6.Turn minus upside down and shake to remove all the excess liquid;
7.You can now enjoy clean water!
8.If Minus is not in use for more than three days, disassemble it and let the filter dry to prevent degradation

Research

Market analysis, user interviews, shadowing, and user testing fueled the design process. My goal was to identify pain points in scenarios when users try to stay hydrated in areas with contaminated water. It helped to fuel brainstorming sessions. I have interviewed people who live in these areas and those who travel there. The users have ergonomically tested several functional prototypes. As a result, an unmet need for a portable zero-waste filter that could be used on the go was uncovered.

Inspiration

In 187 countries, tap water is hazardous for citizens or visitors. It can contain chlorine, lead and bacteria that cause long-term health damage. Available filtration solutions are incredibly wasteful: discarded filters can not be recycled and often become toxic waste, leaking chemicals into the environment. It arguably makes them worse than plastic bottles. I wanted to create a truly sustainable water filter by applying the principles of the circular economy to enable reuse and recycling.

Colors of Minus Water Filter