Advertising jingles have formed a solid foundation of my childhood, so much so that the moment we say Polo, the automatic response is – the mint with the hole! This solution is aesthetically more doughnut inspired than Polo. Nendo, our favorite Japanese design studio has come up with a quintessentially Nendo design, as I would like to call it. What does it include? It is a set of designs that solve a problem with a modern, minimal approach that makes it a joy to interact with these designs. I find these solutions akin to the ninjas who are quietly yet surely solving the problems of our time – in this case the problem of effectively handing our medicines.

Meet the Ring Pillcase, a visually self-explanatory design that streamlines the process of removing a pill from the bottle. It is often that we find ourselves juggling with a pill bottle and in our hurry to take our meds end with some of the pills on the floor, or even touching our dirty hands. COVID-19 has amplified my hate-hate relationship with germs. Before this, yes we would wash my hands as a hygiene practice, but can you imagine returning this pill back into the bottle, or god-forbid if any happen to fall on the floor. The 5-second rule has surely taken a beating post COVID. Ring Pillcase allows you to open up and allow only one or two pills to escape from the casing. “The user first places the case upon their palm and then turns the upper component 60 degrees counter-clockwise to reveal a slot. The slot was designed to face the user so the latter might easily see pills before dispensing. Then, gently tilted toward the user, the pill case releases one to two pills onto the user’s palm, from which the pills may be taken after the case is lifted.” explains Nendo.

Simple, smart, and effective, this well-thought-out pillcase is an experience of ease of use. Twist the case and the pill drops out. Best of all, the hollow center of the pill allows you to hang labels, tags, or even fun thread patterns. Given the while canvas offered, there is a ton of customisation we can do and it ensures we don’t mix up our pills. Attach a thread through the doughnut and no more searching your bag for our pills in the dark!

Designer: Nendo