The Packaging System That Runs the Whole Service
MakeSpace needed a better way to run on-demand storage. Their model relied on customers packing at home before collection, but the existing system shipped empty plastic bins that were expensive to send, bulky in transit, and prone to going missing. Kargo designed the packaging, built the kitting process, managed inventory, and distributed finished kits. The packaging was not an add-on. It became the operating system for how customers started the service.
The Challenge
Empty plastic bins created problems at every stage. They cost too much to ship outbound, took up significant volume in transit and storage, and disappeared from inventory whenever customers failed to return them. MakeSpace needed a durable, reusable alternative that could ship flat, hold up through packing and transport, and scale without a warehouse full of rigid plastic.
The work was operational as much as it was product design. Bags, kit sizes, labeling, warehousing, and last-mile shipping all had to work as one system. A fix to any single piece meant nothing if the rest of the chain still created friction.
Solution
Kargo replaced the plastic bin with a flat-pack reusable bag and built the kitting and fulfillment process around it.
Key elements:
MakeSpace Reusable Carry Bag in durable construction with 40% recycled content — folds flat before use, holds household goods in transit
Inside a box, the bag acts as a protective liner; on its own, it functions as a heavy-duty carry bag
Welcome kits assembled with bags, labeling stickers, and a branded marker
Kits color-coded by bag size for fast, accurate picking
Service instructions printed directly on the interior bags, removing a separate insert
Kits shipped in durable branded poly mailers instead of rigid boxes
Inventory held and distributed as finished kits, ready to fulfill
One partner owned design, production, kitting, warehousing, and delivery, so nothing required the client to coordinate across separate vendors.
Results
Lower outbound shipping costs by replacing empty bins with flat-packed kits
Inventory loss from missing plastic bins stopped
Less volume shipped per outbound order
Faster customer onboarding with a kit ready to use on arrival
Fulfillment team could pick and ship by size without sorting loose components
Services Used
Design & Engineering
Sourcing
Product Development
Production
Logistics
Supply Chain Management
