Traditional Iconoclast

Thump.

Ah, the sound of an Amazon parcel landing on the front step. My pillows!

If I weren’t the woman-of-the-world that I am, entirely au courant with vacuum packing of parcels to reduce shipping costs, I’d have been alarmed at the smallness of its dimensions and the largeness of its decibels. That thump was exceedingly unpillow-like.

As it was, though, I just selected a normal household object for relative scale, confidently cut into the outer layer corralling my two pillows, unfolded each just as if I unfolded flattened pillows every day . . .

and cut again, exposing each pillow to a rush of air.

Honestly, it’s enough harmless fun that it encourages me to try to think of vacuumable things to order so they can be shipped this way.

As vacuumed, on the left; as un-vacuumed, on the right.

We’ve added our own milk or water to concentrated soups and powdered hot chocolate for decades. Now we’re adding our own air to a whole new generation of products. What can possibly be next?