Environmentally friendly textile soft goods retail packaging incorporating vacuum-sealable bags reusable by consumers

Abstract

An environmentally friendly system in which product packaging is reused post purchase by consumers includes: packaging textile soft goods products for retail sale including, for each product, locating one or more textile soft goods within an interior space of a vacuum-resealable bag, locating the vacuum-resealable bag within retail packaging, and identifying the one or more textile soft goods contained in the vacuum-resealable bag by physically associating printed media with the retail packaging, wherein the vacuum-resealable bag reusable for vacuum-packing after the one or more textile soft goods have been removed therefrom; individually displaying, to consumers, the products for retail sale by setting out the products on store shelves; removing, by the consumers, the vacuum-resealable bags front the respective retail packaging and removing the one or more textile soft goods thereof from the respective vacuum-resealable bags; and reusing, by the consumers, the vacuum-resealable bags by vacuum-packing items therein.

1 . A consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale, comprising:
 (a) a vacuum-resealable bag having,
 (i) air impermeable walls defining an interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag, 
 (ii) a one-way valve assembly configured to permit air to be evacuated through the one-way valve assembly from the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag but to preclude air from entering the interior space of the vacuum sealable bag through the one-way valve assembly, and 
 (iii) a closure mechanism configured to seal a mouth of the vacuum-resealable bag in an airtight manner, 
 (iv) wherein the vacuum-resealable bag is configured to maintain a vacuum condition within the interior space when the closure mechanism seals the mouth of the vacuum-resealable bag and air is evacuated through the one-way valve assembly from the interior space defined by the vacuum-resealable bag, and 
 (v) wherein the vacuum-resealable bag is configured to be opened and then reclosed such that the vacuum-resealable bag is reusable by a consumer for vacuum-packing after the one or more textile soft goods have been removed from the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag; and 
   (b) one or more textile soft goods located within the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag.   
     
     
         2 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more textile soft goods located within the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag are maintained in a compressed condition resulting from a pressure differential existing between a pressure in the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag and a pressure exterior to the vacuum-resealable bag. 
     
     
         3 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 2 , further comprising retail packaging comprising a case in which the vacuum-resealable bag containing the textile soft goods is contained, wherein a hoop strength of the case is sufficient to maintain the textile soft goods in a compressed condition within the vacuum-resealable bag upon equalization of the pressure in the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag and a pressure exterior to the vacuum-resealable bag. 
     
     
         4 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 1 , wherein the one-way valve assembly is located in a wall of the vacuum-resealable bag and is configured to receive a nozzle of a vacuum cleaner hose, whereby the air within the interior space may be evacuated using a vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         5 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 1 , wherein the one-way valve assembly of the vacuum-resealable bag is configured to expel air from the interior space thereof upon rolling up of the vacuum-resealable bag by a consumer for creating a pressure differential between a pressure in the interior space of the bag and a pressure exterior to the bag. 
     
     
         6 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 1 , wherein the textile soft goods comprise a plurality of individual bedding components constituting a bedding set. 
     
     
         7 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 1 , wherein none of the textile soft goods are individually packaged. 
     
     
         8 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 1 , further comprising printed media identifying the one or more textile soft goods contained in the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag, the printed media being physically associated with the vacuum-resealable bag for viewing by a consumer at retail sale. 
     
     
         9 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 8 , wherein the printed media further identifies the reusability of the vacuum-resealable bag. 
     
     
         10 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 8 , wherein the printed media comprises an adhesive label that is attached to the vacuum-resealable bag. 
     
     
         11 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 10 , wherein retail packaging of the textile soft goods product for retail sale comprises the vacuum-resealable bag. 
     
     
         12 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the vacuum-resealable bag is transparent such that one or more contents of the vacuum-resealable bag are viewable there through. 
     
     
         13 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 1 , further comprising retail packaging defining an interior space in which the vacuum-resealable bag containing the textile soft goods is contained. 
     
     
         14 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 1 , further comprising retail packaging comprising a case in which the vacuum-resealable bag containing the textile soft goods is contained, the case configured to be opened and then reclosed such that the case is reusable by a consumer after the vacuum-resealable bag containing the bedding set has been removed therefrom by the consumer. 
     
     
         15 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the vacuum-resealable bag is transparent such that one or more contents of the vacuum-resealable bag are viewable there through, and at least a portion of the case is transparent such that one or more contents of the vacuum-resealable bag are further viewable there through, the vacuum-resealable bag being arranged within the case such that the one or more contents of the vacuum-resealable bag are viewable through both the case and the vacuum-resealable bag by a prospective customer at retail sale. 
     
     
         16 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 14 , further comprising printed media identifying the one or more textile soft goods contained in the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag, the printed media being physically associated with the vacuum-resealable bag for viewing by a consumer at retail sale, wherein the printed media comprises an adhesive label that is attached to the case containing the vacuum-resealable bag. 
     
     
         17 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 14 , further comprising printed media identifying the one or more textile soft goods contained in the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag, the printed media being physically associated with the vacuum-resealable bag for viewing by a consumer at retail sale, wherein the case comprises a pocket, the pocket including a transparent panel through which contents of the pocket are viewable from an exterior of the case, and wherein the printed media comprises a rigid planar member comprising a card insert that is retained within the pocket of the case. 
     
     
         18 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 17 , wherein the pocket includes opposing front and rear transparent panels whereby contents of the pocket are viewable through both the front and rear transparent panels. 
     
     
         19 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 14 , wherein the case defines an interior containment space that is practically entirely consumed by the vacuum-resealable bag contained therein. 
     
     
         20 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 19 , wherein the case comprises opposed transparent panels, and wherein corners of the transparent panels include non-transparent components that cover the corners of the vacuum-resealable bag and that reinforce the case and contribute to the hoop strength of the case. 
     
     
         21 . An environmentally friendly system in which product packaging is reused post purchase by consumers, comprising:
 (a) packaging textile soft goods products for retail sale comprising, for each product, the steps of,
 (i) locating one or more textile soft goods within an interior space of a vacuum-resealable bag, 
 (ii) locating the vacuum-resealable bag within retail packaging, and 
 (iii) identifying the one or more textile soft goods contained in the vacuum-resealable bag by physically associating printed media with the retail packaging, 
 (iv) wherein the vacuum-resealable bag is configured to be opened and then reclosed such that the vacuum-resealable bag is reusable for vacuum-packing after the one or more textile soft goods have been removed therefrom; 
   (b) individually displaying, to consumers, the products for retail sale by setting out the products on store shelves;   (c) removing, by the consumers, the vacuum-resealable bags from the respective retail packaging and removing the one or more textile soft goods thereof from the respective vacuum-resealable bags; and   (d) reusing, by the consumers, the vacuum-resealable bags by vacuum-packing items therein.   
     
     
         22 . The environmentally friendly system in which product packaging is reused post purchase by consumers in accordance with  claim 21 , further comprising shipping the products to retailers for displaying. 
     
     
         23 . The environmentally friendly system in which product packaging is reused post purchase by consumers in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein the retail packaging includes printed media identifying the one or more textile soft goods contained in the vacuum-resealable bag as being a bedding set for a particular size of bed. 
     
     
         24 . The environmentally friendly system in which product packaging is reused post purchase by consumers in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein said shipping includes packing the retail packaging of a plurality of products within a shipping container such that an interior containment space of the shipping container is practically entirely consumed by the products packed therein, wherein the retail packaging of each product is the same size and footprint, wherein the retail packaging of each product defines an interior containment space that is practically entirely consumed by the vacuum-resealable bag contained therein, and wherein the one or more textile soft goods of at least some of the products are for different sizes. 
     
     
         25 . The environmentally friendly system in which product packaging is reused post purchase by consumers in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein the products are unpacked from the shipping container by retailers and placed on store shelves without opening the retail packaging of each respective product. 
     
     
         26 . The environmentally friendly system in which product packaging is reused post purchase by consumers in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein the one or more textile soft goods contained in the vacuum-resealable bag of each product constitutes a bedding set. 
     
     
         27 . The environmentally friendly system in which product packaging is reused post purchase by consumers in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein the vacuum-resealable bag of each textile soft goods product comprises a one-way valve assembly configured such that air, which is evacuated through the one-way valve assembly from an interior space defined by the vacuum-resealable bag, is kept from reentering the vacuum-resealable bag through the one-way valve assembly, and a closure mechanism configured to seal a mouth of the vacuum-resealable bag in an airtight manner. 
     
     
         28 . The environmentally friendly system in which product packaging is reused post purchase by consumers in accordance with  claim 27 , wherein the one-way valve assembly of each textile soft goods product is located in a wall of the respective vacuum-resealable bag and is configured to receive a nozzle of a vacuum cleaner hose, whereby the air within the interior space may be evacuated by a consumer using a vacuum cleaner post retail purchase. 
     
     
         29 . The environmentally friendly system in which product packaging is reused post purchase by consumers in accordance with  claim 27 , wherein the one-way valve assembly of each textile soft goods product is configured to expel air from the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag upon rolling up of the vacuum-resealable bag by a consumer for creating a pressure differential between a pressure in the interior space of the bag and a pressure exterior to the bag post retail purchase. 
     
     
         30 . The environmentally friendly system in which product packaging is reused post purchase by consumers in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein the vacuum-resealable bag practically entirely consumes the interior space of the retail packaging. 
     
     
         31 . The environmentally friendly system in which product packaging is reused post purchase by consumers in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein the retail packaging of each product is configured to be opened and then reclosed such that the retail packaging is reusable by a consumer post retail purchase. 
     
     
         32 . The environmentally friendly system in which product packaging is reused post purchase by consumers in accordance with  claim 31 , wherein the retail packaging comprise a case. 
     
     
         33 . The environmentally friendly system in which product packaging is reused post purchase by consumers in accordance with  claim 31 , wherein the retail packaging comprises an outer bag. 
     
     
         34 . The environmentally friendly system in which product packaging is reused post purchase by consumers in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein the textile soft goods of each product are maintained in a compressed condition within the vacuum-resealable bag by a pressure differential that exists between a pressure within the interior containment space of the vacuum-resealable bag and a pressure exterior to the vacuum-resealable bag. 
     
     
         35 . The environmentally friendly system in which product packaging is reused post purchase by consumers in accordance with  claim 34 , wherein the retail packaging of each textile soft goods product does not include an airtight seal closing off the interior containment space in which the respective vacuum-resealable bag is contained. 
     
     
         36 . The environmentally friendly system in which product packaging is reused post purchase by consumers in accordance with  claim 34 , wherein a hoop strength of the retail packaging of each textile soft goods product is sufficient to maintain the one or more textile soft goods contained in the respective vacuum-resealable bag in a compressed condition upon a loss of the respective pressure differential. 
     
     
         37 . The environmentally friendly system in which product packaging is reused post purchase by consumers in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein the one or more textile soft goods of each product are maintained in a compressed condition within the vacuum-resealable bag by a pressure differential that exists between a pressure within the interior containment space of the vacuum-resealable bag and a pressure exterior to the vacuum-resealable bag, wherein each of the products has the same volume and footprint, and wherein each of the products is identical in size. 
     
     
         38 . The environmentally friendly system in which product packaging is reused post purchase by consumers in accordance with  claim 34 , wherein the respective pressure differentials of at least some of the products are different. 
     
     
         39 . The environmentally friendly system in which product packaging is reused post purchase by consumers in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein each textile soft goods product includes printed media physically associated therewith that identifies the reusability of the vacuum-resealable bag of the product. 
     
     
         40 . The environmentally friendly system in which product packaging is reused post purchase by consumers in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein none of the textile soft goods of each of the products are individually packaged.