Huskee’s Smart Bin, Borrow, has been named a winner in the 2026 Australian Good Design Awards, receiving recognition in the Product Design – Commercial and Industrial category for its approach to reusable packaging returns.
Designed in Australia by Huskee, a BioPak brand, in collaboration with Fossick Studio, Particle Design Studio, Tom Kulaga and Simon Kobler, the system aims to make returning reusable cups and containers more convenient.
According to Huskee, the Smart Bin is an Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled return point that combines QR-enabled access, a gravity-driven mechanical system, modular architecture and dual power capability. The design is intended to address the challenge of returning reusable products to circulation.
Huskee co-founder and BioPak Group chief sustainability officer Saxon Wright said convenience was essential to making reuse work at scale.
“Making reuse work at scale is about much more than designing a great reusable product. We need to make the return journey just as easy, intuitive and convenient as picking up the product in the first place,” Wright said.
He said the system combines industrial design and technology to simplify the return process, adding that the award recognised its innovation and practical application.
The Australian Good Design Awards jury described the project as an example of design thinking applied at a systems level, highlighting its potential to address convenience as a barrier to reuse adoption.
BioPak CEO Guy Brent said the recognition aligned with the company’s focus on circular solutions and end-of-life packaging options.
“What this award recognises is not only our leading edge in packaging design but also the importance of making sustainability practical, putting people at the heart of the packaging we use daily,” Brent said.
Good Design Australia managing director Rachel Wye said the 2026 award winners demonstrated how design could help address complex challenges across society and industry.
The 2026 Australian Good Design Awards recognise projects across 13 design disciplines and more than 30 categories. Entries are assessed by an independent jury of more than 100 Australian and international design experts against criteria covering good design, design innovation and design impact.
