COLD - CHAIN SYSTEMS • MATERIAL INNOVATION
ECOFREEZE PICKUp TECHNOLOGY
DISCIPLINES
Material R&D / Freezable gel systems / Patterning & prototyping / Thermal test protocols / USDA & FDA compliance / Factory handoff
01 FEATURED DESIGN CASE STUDY
ECOFREEZE TOTES
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.
PHASE 01
IDEATION
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.
PHASE 02
MATERIALS RESEARCH
WHAT IT’S MADE OF, HOW LONG IT LASTS, AND HOW COLD IT STAYS.
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 Exploration
Sourcing and screening ran across the outer shell, the reflective liner, and the gel media simultaneously, each one had to hold up on its own and work together as a single thermal system.
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. Heavier gel packs push load onto the seams and hardware differently than a standard tote. Each component was tested against the specific stress it introduces, not a generic durability pass.
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, 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.
RADIANT REFLECTION
Electroplated aluminum liner turns radiant heat back out instead of letting it soak into the payload.
PHASE-CHANGE MASS
Rigid gel sheets hold latent cold longer than loose ice packs, at a fixed, predictable geometry.
INSULATION RETENTION
TPU/PU-coated shell keeps its R-value after repeat wet, cold, and abrasive commercial cycles.
PHASE 03
TECH PACKs
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
Full construction and hardware specs went back to the factory as marked-up tech packs. See the annotated pages here.
PHASE 04
PROTOTYPES
THERMAL TESTING / SAMPLES
First-generation EcoFreeze Totes were thoroughly tested at Environmental Associates Inc. (EA) in Chatsworth, CA.
PHASE 05
FINAL DESIGNS
IN-PRODUCTION & IN SERVICE
STACKABLE TOTE
IN SERVICE AT:
BUILT TO LAST
Durable PU-coated exterior designed for rigorous commercial and industrial use.
HIGH CAPACITY
The Stackable Tote fits up to 42.5L of payload. Large items fit through the sliding lid.
USDA & FDA COMPLIANT
Tested to meet or exceed USDA & FDA regulations. Adaptable to meet brand partner specifications.
TOTE LINER
IN SERVICE AT:
COMMERCIAL COMPATIBILITY
Designed to work stand-alone or in conjunction with existing commercial totes.
ORIGAMI LID
An origami folding lid allows for one-handed operation during pick & pack.
ADOPTED BY GROCERY PICKUP
Grocers have adopted the Tote Liner into their PickUp services.
TOTE
IN SERVICE AT:
STANDARD CAPACITY
The Tote allows grocers to pack orders based on customer preference.
SMALL AND VERSATILE
Existing grocery bags and plastic bags fit perfectly into the EcoFreeze Tote.
ADOPTED INTERNATIONALLY
EcoFreeze Tote is the standard-issue delivery tote for Woolworths South Africa.
02 EXTENSIVE PRODUCT & SAFETY TESTING
Food safety IS paramount. The cold chain could never break.
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.