ECOFREEZE PICKUp TECHNOLOGY
COLD - CHAIN SYSTEMS • MATERIAL INNOVATION
DISCIPLINES
Material R&D / Freezable gel systems / Patterning & prototyping / Thermal test protocols / USDA & FDA compliance / Factory handoff
Patented technology scaled across categories.
01
Passive cooling, zero infrastructure - fully self-sustaining without external power.
02
Multi-use commercial viability - commercially viable for delivery services, grocery chains, and e-commerce simultaneously.
03
Industrial durability - heavy-duty use applying patented technology.
05
06
Solved a real supply-chain gap - last-mile logistics problem with patented solution.
Scaling over reinvention - moved B2B by evolving existing innovation.
04
ECOFREEZE TOTES
01 FEATURED DESIGN CASE STUDY
A heavy-duty grocery tote with PackIt's patented freezable gel sealed into the lining. Freeze it overnight and it holds a USDA-safe internal temperature across a full delivery window, no power, no loose ice packs, no broken cold chain.
PackIt Fresh
COMPANY:
CATEGORY:
Cold-Chain / Last Mile
ROLE:
Lead Product Designer / T&E
IDEATION
PHASE 01
SKETCHES / PROCESS DESIGN
One container does the whole job, no liners or inserts, no assembly. A simple, intuitive design that an associate can load, seal, and stage in seconds.
Using our patented gel required new gel pack designs and geometry, the heavier weight also required careful placement for optimal performance
RESEARCH
PHASE 02
MATERIALS INNOVATION/ PATENTED GEL
PackIt's signature innovation is a non-toxic cooling gel permanently sealed between the tote's walls. The entire container is the coolant — no separate ice packs to manage or lose. Frozen, the gel lining radiates cold inward, turning a passive insulated tote into a self-sustaining cold box. Scaling from a lunch bag to a large commercial tote meant re-engineering the gel formulation, fill geometry, and a shell tough enough for daily warehouse cycling.
01 Material study
Sourcing and screening the outer materials, inner liners, and reviewing the construction of the bags.
Material Swatches - Shell fabric and liner materials being reviewed
Liner Spec - Heavier gel packs need more stitching on seams
Stitching Spec - Adjusting the stitch-per-inch to support the weight of the gel packs without compromising gel pack integrity
02 The Cold Engine
The formula for the gel was reviewed for use in a commercial setting, different types of gel and pouches were explored.
Rigid Gel - Exploration using frozen rigid gel packs as dual use media for cool and structure is a common theme.
Gel Sheet - Early material prototypes repurposed existing PackIt gel packs.
03 BUILT to last
Webbing, buckles, and carry hardware were carefully selected and mocked-up for testing.
Trim Mock-ups - Early designs were explored with whatever materials were available. Once a direction was picked, refined mock-ups were made for further evaluation.
Impact Protection - Rigid gel packs were a promising concept reviewed throughout the early ideation phase.
04 PROVING the cold chain
Miniature mock-up totes and materials, and early prototype samples were tested using our own thermal protocols for proof-of-concept.
Thermal Mock-ups - Thermal testing conducted early in the development process to prove ideas.
Reflective Surfaces - Electroplated aluminum materials turned out to be great thermal conductors.
Outdoor Gear Meets Cold-Chain - Taking cues from camping gear, TPU & PU coated materials had the best durability.
TECH PACKs
PHASE 03
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
PROTOTYPES
PHASE 04
THERMAL TESTING / SAMPLES
First generation EcoFreeze Totes were thoroughly tested at Environmental Associates Inc. (EA) in Chatsworth, CA.
FINAL DESIGNS
PHASE 05
IN-PRODUCTION & IN SERVICE
STACKABLE TOTE
IN SERVICE AT:
HIGH CAPACITY
The Stackable Tote fits up to 42.5L of payload, large items fit through the sliding lid.
BUILT TO LAST
Durable PU-coated exterior designed for rigorous commercial and industrial use.
USDA & FDA COMPLIANT
Tested to meet or exceed USDA & FDA regulations. Adaptable to meet brand partner specifications.
TOTE LINER
IN SERVICE AT:
ORIGAMI LID
The origami folding lid that allows for one handed operation during pick & pack.
COMMERCIAL COMPATIBILITY
Designed to work stand-alone or in-conjunction with existing commercial totes
ADOPTED BY GROCERY PICKUP
Grocers have adopted the Tote Liner into their PickUp services.
TOTE
IN SERVICE AT:
SMALL AND VERSATILE
Existing grocery bags and plastic bags fit perfectly into the EcoFreeze Tote.
STANDARD CAPACITY
The Tote allows grocers pack orders based on customer preference.
ADOPTED INTERNATIONALLY
EcoFreeze Tote is the standard issue delivery tote for Woolworths South Africa.
Food safety IS paramount. The cold chain could never break.
02 EXTENSIVE PRODUCT & SAFETY TESTING
Throughout development, EcoFreeze Totes were tested for material safety and performance integrity, engineered to meet or exceed USDA and FDA guidelines. Holding internal food temperatures below 40°F across designated delivery windows is critical. Continuous testing evaluated new gel formulations, revised tote designs, and materials. The totes consistently met every parameter, even during active commercial distribution.