Revi - Reusable Packaging for Suture Kits

What it does

Revi is a reusable packaging system for suture kits used in hospital emergency departments. It significantly reduces single-use waste and keeps the process sterile, fast and easy to use in high-pressure medical situations.

Your inspiration

During my internship in New York City, I worked on a project about single-use medical IV products. It made me aware of the sustainability challenges in hospitals. Later, the Green Deal Day for Sustainable Healthcare gave me even more insights into the waste issue through inspiring conversations with professionals in the field. I realized how far behind hospitals are in embracing circular innovation. These experiences sparked my motivation to take action through design. Through further research and observations in Belgian hospitals, I identified suture kits as a key opportunity, leading to the development of Revi: Reusable Packaging.

How it works

Revi offers a sustainable alternative that combines safety, ease of use, and waste reduction. At its core is a sturdy, reusable box that functions as both packaging and a sterile barrier. It holds metal instruments, gauze pads, and drapes. Gauze and drapes remain single-use, while the instruments and box are reused. The tray secures four metal tools using built-in magnets, enabling quick handling. Engraved contours on the tray show where each tool belongs, reducing loss or accidental disposal of the tools. An integrated marking feature allows any damage to the set to be visibly flagged by doctors, making it easy to identify and remove items that are no longer fit for use. A built-in reusable EO gas filter allows full sterilization of the box and contents. After use, kits are collected by the supplier, to be cleaned, reassembled, and returned ready for use, without burdening the hospital’s sterilization unit.

Design process

The design process began with a 10-week research phase starting at the end of September. I visited the Medica trade fair in Düsseldorf and toured Sterima, a sterilization company, to observe their full operations. I conducted field observations in two Belgian hospitals, both in emergency and surgical departments. I interviewed hospital directors, doctors, and logistics staff to understand the current challenges and workflows. These insights led to the product definition: a reusable packaging system for suture kits, along with a reverse logistics system involving key stakeholders, primarily the hospital and the supplier. From December, I entered the design phase. I created quick concepts and prototypes, which were tested multiple times with emergency doctors. Each session informed new iterations. Further desk research and interviews with companies like Nelson Labs and DuPont helped me understand requirements for the sterile filter. The design phase concluded in May with the final Revi concept.

How it is different

Revi is the first reusable packaging system designed specifically for care sets such as suture kits, wound care sets, and delivery kits. While hospitals have workflows to clean and reuse instruments, the packaging itself is always discarded. No reusable alternative currently exists for these sets. Revi fills that gap by combining smart material choices, user-focused design, and integration into hospital logistics. It is designed for repeated sterilization and quick use in emergency situations. Built-in magnets, engraved contours, and intuitive layout make it highly ergonomic and reduce error risk under pressure. Unlike generic instrument trays, Revi was co-developed with emergency doctors and tested through multiple iterations. Its performance in real scenarios proves that sustainability can go hand in hand with clinical efficiency. Revi reduces packaging waste by 67% compared to today’s single-use solutions, without disrupting existing workflows.

Future plans

In the coming weeks, I will turn this thesis into a publication with my supervisor Prof. Dr. Els Du Bois and co-supervisor PhD Kaat Dhondt. While founding a start-up may be premature, for both myself and the sector, we're focusing on building partnerships with current suppliers. I’m eager to stay involved in research or development roles. For now, Revi will be used as a case study by the University of Antwerp’s Reuse Lab and is part of Green Deal discussions to showcase circular innovation in healthcare.

Awards

Revi has not yet been nominated for external awards, but it received the highest distinction for my master’s thesis at the University of Antwerp. It has drawn interest from sustainability networks and will be presented at conferences by the university’s Reuse Lab, which researches circular design across sectors.