The NON Stopper

NON is a pioneering non-alcoholic brand that champions a non-conformist ethos and is leading a transformative movement in the cultural landscape of social drinking. Vert was commissioned to design and develop a bottle stopper that not only preserves the freshness of NON’s beverages and prevents waste, but also complements the brand’s signature artistic and minimalist aesthetic. The goal was to produce a marketable item suitable for both home and bar settings, maximising utility without compromising on style or space. The brief evolved into creating an artefact that explored gesturing, materiality and aesthetics, and would interpret the past into the present.

The NON stopper prevents wastage, preserving carbonation for up to 7 days. The solution is marketable for both home and bar settings, compact in size. The design introduces a fresh interaction with unique gesturing and moves away from the current bottle stopper designs in the market, fitting NON’s art-led brand identity. With no mechanical parts, effortlessly slide onto the neck of the bottle and let the leak-proof, airtight seal lock in place. The stopper combines sturdy stainless steel with soft food-grade silicone for a striking contrast and elevates the design with a space-age aesthetic.

Commercially, the design builds upon NON’s values and offerings, enhancing the overall customer experience of enjoying their signature NON-alcoholic wines. It encourages consumers to immerse themselves in NON’s world, fostering community and inclusivity between all kinds of people whether they drink alcoholic or non-alcoholic wines. The NON Stopper reduces wastage and extends the shelf life of beverages, allowing for single glass servings over 7 days in both bar and home settings. The design has low material intensity and simple manufacturing processes, consisting of just 3 components, with stainless steel, silicone and no mechanical components.

The project commenced with a thorough exploration of bottle stopper concepts aligned with the ethos of the NON brand. Two standout concepts emerged: one harnessing a twisting mechanic and another embodying simplicity. The mechanical design, while more complex upfront, promised easier development and refinement. The seemingly simpler concept posed initial challenges but offered potential for streamlined manufacturing and cost optimisation in the long run. The more simple concept was chosen, and was inspired by the retro-futuristic designs of the space age, blending elements from the 1950s-1970s in an era marked by space exploration and revolutionary materials. This was more minimal in form, featuring contrasting materials for a visually striking aesthetic. Through numerous iterations and prototyping phases utilising 3D printing and casting, the team honed in on stainless steel and silicone as the optimal materials, ensuring both functionality and visual appeal. The final design, comprising just three components, boasts low material intensity and streamlined manufacturing processes. Stainless steel works to apply compression when the stopper is placed. The rubber provides a plug creating an airtight seal and locks in carbonation when in place, adding visual interest, tactility and identifiability to the design.