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Evaporative cooling makes a come back for sustainable food storage

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The TONY clay cooler reinterprets traditional methods, offering electricity-free freshness for fruits and baked goods
Lea Lorenz
German industrial designer Lea Lorenz has created a new clay cooler based on the age-old principle of evaporative cooling
Lea Lorenz
This simple design offers a modern reinterpretation of the traditional clay jug cooler
Lea Lorenz
TONY is an eco-friendly solution to keep food fresh without the need for electricity
Lea Lorenz
TONY consists of individual clay coolers, available in three stackable sizes, each equipped with a water tank, a food container, and a lid
Lea Lorenz
The porous raku-clay is locally sourced from the Westerwald region in Germany
Lea Lorenz
The clay material absorbs water from the tank and facilitates evaporation on the walls of the food container

Lea Lorenz
TONY's modular design allows for independent functionality, while ensuring that each unit receives an adequate water supply

Lea Lorenz
The TONY clay cooler reinterprets traditional methods, offering electricity-free freshness for fruits and baked goods
Lea Lorenz
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German industrial designer Lea Lorenz has created a new clay cooler based on the age-old principle of evaporative cooling. Dubbed TONY, this simple design offers a modern reinterpretation of the traditional clay jug cooler, providing an eco-friendly solution to keep food fresh without the need for electricity.

Lorenz's motivation for developing TONY was rooted in addressing the pervasive issue of food waste resulting from inadequate storage practices.

Many food items, such as fruits, vegetables and baked goods do not necessarily require refrigeration but often suffer from premature spoilage due to improper storage. TONY is designed to fill this gap by providing an effective, sustainable method for keeping these items fresh without the need for electricity or conventional refrigeration.

The core design consists of individual clay coolers, available in three stackable sizes, each equipped with a water tank, a food container, and a lid. This modular design allows for independent functionality, while ensuring that each unit receives an adequate water supply.

TONY consists of individual clay coolers, available in three stackable sizes, each equipped with a water tank, a food container, and a lid
Lea Lorenz

The use of porous raku-clay, which is locally sourced from the Westerwald region in Germany, is central to the design and cooling process. This clay material absorbs water from the tank and facilitates evaporation on the walls of the food container, creating an optimal storage environment with temperatures ranging from 13 °C to 17 °C (55.4 °F to 62.6 °F).

According to Lorenz, during the production phase the coolers are fired in the kiln at the lowest possible temperature of 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832 °F) in an effort to conserve energy and minimize the environmental footprint of the product.

Furthermore, the durable construction of the clay coolers is intended to prolong their lifespan, reducing the need for frequent replacements and minimizing waste. Should a cooler become damaged or reach the end of its life cycle, its components can be returned and recycled by grinding them into fire-clay. These recycled materials can then be integrated into the production of new TONY coolers, completing the sustainability loop.

By introducing TONY, Lea Lorenz has not only offered a practical solution to help mitigate food waste but has also established a model for responsible product design. Lorenz's creation serves as an inspiration for designers and consumers alike, encouraging a shift towards more sustainable and eco-conscious choices.

Source: Lea Lorenz

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3 comments
Karmudjun
Nice article Bridget, and I am familiar with the clay pot evaporative process. But I was flummoxed by the pots "reaching the end of their life cycle". How does a clay pot reach the end of it's life cycle - do the pores get clogged up by debris? Doesn't normal washing and drying between long term storage periods render an indefinite life cycle? If I were to increase my indoor humidity with these evaporative coolers, I would not want to have to plan on replacing them frequently. What is their life cycle?
Lea Lorenz
Dear Karmudjun,
The Tony clay cooler is an object for daily use. Therefore, it is built sturdily to last a long time. However, if the cooler is no longer intact or functional (perhaps it falls down and breaks, for example), clay coolers can be recycled by grinding them into fireclay. The fireclay can then be incorporated into clay bodies for the manufacture of new coolers. Best regards, Lea Lorenz
SteveMc
A great idea based in an ancient principle. It’s a great shame it’s taking so long for this ‘advanced’ human race to realise that some of the old ways are perhaps the best. The corporations want to keep selling us fridges and gas along with energy supplies to run them though…then the technician to fix a broken one or ultimately replacement. So, the big question, how much do these clay coolers cost? I looked on the web site linked here but couldn’t see any costs mentioned.