Tag Archives: recycling

This striking couch makes a powerful statement on face masks

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There was a point in very recent history when it seemed that the world had run out of single-use face masks, sometimes referred to as surgical masks. Eventually, however, supply did finally catch up to demand, and the use of such protective gear became so common that people would acquire them in bulk. Unfortunately, these masks weren’t made exactly made with regular people in mind and in situations where they would not be disposed of properly. What was a tool that helped save human lives, unfortunately, became poison to the planet, especially our already polluted waters. Although restrictions have been lifted in many places, these single-use masks are still in high demand and use, including outside the medical field, and the harm that these discarded masks pose to the environment has been demonstrated with dramatic effect in a pouf made almost completely out of this personal protective equipment.

Designer: Tobia Zambotti

Surgical masks look simple enough that most probably take for granted the materials used to make them. Most probably presume that they’re made from biodegradable material since they feel like cloth or paper, but that’s not exactly true. They are made from a certain kind of plastic, and they can’t be recycled because of their use in medical scenarios. Thus, they become dangerous pollutants, whether they’re burned by incinerators or thrown into the waters.

Given the volume of single-use masks produced and discarded on a regular basis, that can easily cause an environmental problem. What makes the situation worse is that very few people are aware of this situation, let alone of the harmful potential of these masks. What better way to call their attention, then, than by putting this number into perspective in a rather shocking manner?

That is what COUCH-19 does in a way that is both meaningful but also useful. Hundreds of used masks are collected and then sanitized using ozone before they’re entombed in a pouf made from recyclable crystal PVC. Each pouf is modular so that it can be combined with others to form a couch to one’s specifications. The poufs are shaped irregularly to give the semblance of the masks frozen in time. The iceberg-like design is intended to be a reference to global warming.

As a couch, the COUCH-19 looks both interesting but also a bit unsettling, which is part of the message. While there’s no doubt that it can function as a piece of furniture, its appearance is alien enough to give our brains pause, forcing us to face the reality that those masks convey, that of a world where we might be forced to live with the very trash that we so mindlessly throw away.

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This zero-waste laptop bag tries to make up for your laptop’s environmental sins

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Our civilization now relies heavily on all sorts of computers, but these products are sadly also killing of our planet in the process. From their production to their daily use to their disposal, desktops and laptops contribute to the sad state of our planet. Even worse, we tend to buy accessories for these devices that themselves create more problems for our environment. Fortunately, designers and brands have started to become more conscious of how even small things like accessory can pile up to become a sustainability disaster and are taking steps to minimize their negative impact on the environment. This laptop case, for example, is made from leftover fabric to become something fashionable that also shows a bit of university spirit, too.

Designer: Shelly Xu Design (SXD) x Harvard Innovation Labs

It’s easy to take for granted how clothes can be harmful to the environment because they seem biodegradable enough. While some textile and dyes aren’t exactly sustainable, those aren’t the only environmental problems they cause. The fashion industry alone is responsible for million tons of textile waste every year for leftover scraps and wasted fabric. This waste that would have otherwise piled up on landfills are the very source materials that Shelly Xu Design (SXD) uses to create masterpieces that make a statement in more ways than one.

It’s that kind of boldness that SXD is bringing to an industry outside fashion, with a laptop case that similarly uses those wasted fabric to produce something that will keep your laptop safe and snug while you go about your business in school or in the office. The main bag is made from white neoprene taken from scuba diving sets while the red handle and pockets are source from leftover polo shirt materials. The entire bag is made waterproof using ecorepel which biomimics how waterfowl feathers are able to repel water, hence the name.

This zero-waste “ILab Bag” is simple yet fashionable while also being functional. The bag is reversible, so you can choose between a plain white appearance or accented red. The red cloth parts also function as pockets and handles, going beyond mere embellishments. And when the laptop bag is fully unfolded, that side forms a red “H” on white, a nod to Harvard’s name and colors.

The SXD zero-waste laptop case might not be extraordinary in terms of form and function, but that isn’t its primary objective anyway. Instead, it tries to serve as an inspiration and model for how recycled waste materials can be transformed into high-quality, beautiful products. If more companies start producing swag these way, it could eventually lead to a transformation of an industry that often doesn’t give a second thought to its long-term effects on the only planet that we have.

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These beautiful tiles are actually made from fish scale waste

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Humans eat a lot of food that comes from plants and animals, but not all the parts of these living creatures are deemed edible or appetizing. These parts include internal organs, bones, and even skin, parts that get discarded and thrown out during processing. Unsurprisingly, this waste starts to pile up and cause harm to the planet, especially since there doesn’t seem to be any decrease in human appetite and consumption. Fortunately, some people have started to get smarter and use that human ingenuity to either help reduce food waste or use them for something completely different. In fact, some people have even discovered how beautiful this waste can be, such as these stunning tiles that would shock you to learn are made from ignored and discarded fish scales.

Designer: Erik de Laurens

Animal skins have plenty of uses, some more wasteful than others. Some skin can be eaten, of course, but others are simply taken for their material value. Leather has always been a controversial material because of this, loved for its natural properties but criticized for its cruel source. Fortunately, there are now attempts to create more sustainable alternatives to leather that don’t involve harmful plastics either.

Fish scales, on the other hand, are simply discarded because they aren’t exactly edible. They are thrown out by both food and aquaculture industries and add to the growing amount of waste in our environment. It turns out, however, that these seemingly useless scales have the components that make them as hard as stone yet as beautiful as marble. And thus, Scalelite was born. Using a sustainable process and no harmful ingredients, Scalelite transforms wasted and ugly fish scales into beautiful materials that can cover walls or floors and even become parts of furniture.

Scalelite also has other admirable properties beyond being 100% natural and attractive. It has natural fire resistance and is dirt-repellent, making it suitable for use in hospitality and retail applications. It’s easier to clean, too, even without using harmful detergents. And, of course, it’s completely recyclable, so you won’t have to fill guilty when you do have to throw the tiles away after probably decades of use.

It’s definitely encouraging to see such efforts to salvage what most of us have considered garbage and turn them into something not only useful but actually appealing as well. It gives credence to the expression that one man’s trash might be another one’s treasure. Sadly, Scalelite is just a small fish in a gigantic industry trying to make a difference, and we need a lot more of these sustainable materials to stop the planet from hurting.

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Biodegradable, Single-Use Circuit Boards Printed on Paper

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Because most computing technology is notoriously earth-unfriendly with its inability to be reused or recycled, researchers at the State University of New York at Binghamton have developed circuit boards printed on paper that can be safely disposed of after a single use, either by burning or naturally biodegrading. Me? I love burning things. Just not my hand on the stove like I did this morning making oatmeal.

The paper is first printed with wax to create channels, then heated, so the wax melts, permeating the paper. Next, conductive metal is screen-printed onto the board, followed by the application of conductive and semi-conductive inks and an electrolyte gel to create the board’s resistors, capacitors, transistors, and wiring. The final result? A functional paper circuit board that could be eaten in the event you’re captured by the enemy.

Do you think this is the technology they use in Mission Impossible for those self-destructing messages? I sure hope so because otherwise, those agents were inhaling a lot of harmful chemicals if they didn’t vacate the area within five seconds. Like their missions weren’t already risky enough!

[via YankoDesign]

Canadian company turns used chopsticks into furniture, homeware

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While I would most of the time use a pair of spoon and fork to eat my meals, I am also very partial to using chopsticks whenever I can. I have my favorite pair at home but when I eat out at East Asian restaurants, most of the time they use disposable chopsticks. Just like with a lot of disposable things, these contribute to so much waste globally, with 80 billion pairs being used and thrown away each year. One solution is of course to use a reusable pair and bring it with you wherever you go. But how to go about making sure those thrown away can still be salvaged somehow?

Designer: ChopValue

A Canadian company has actually been trying to do something about all these used, disposable chopsticks. They have been collecting the used ones from restaurants in Vancouver and then turning them into furniture like tables, which is a good way for the chopsticks to sort of come full circle. They are also used to create decorative pieces and even other homeware you may need in the living room or kitchen. They would fit right in with your wood aesthetics if that’s what you’re sporting.

Of course they have to do something more to it than just building furniture since the used chopsticks themselves will grow mold and bacteria over the years. So they developed a proprietary process that involves coating them in water-based resin and then placing them in an industrial oven and “bake” them for around five hours. After that, they are broken down and built into a composite board. Before turning them into furniture or other materials, they are sanded and lacquered. In keeping with the eco-friendly nature, the entire process is chemical-free and therefore the final products are non-toxic.

One of the work desks that they created actually used more than 10,000 chopsticks. Since they collect an average of 350,000 chopsticks per week in Vancouver alone, there should be enough chopstick waste to go around. Hopefully, other cities or parts of the world where they throw away a lot of these disposable utensils will be able to adopt something like this just to make sure that they are not left in the garbage landfills to just rot away.

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Niko trash bin tips the balance towards usability and sustainability

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It’s sometimes both frustrating and amazing how simple changes can have massive impacts. That is true not just in philosophy and productivity but also in design, where a small detail can make or break a product. A small blemish can ruin a visual masterpiece, or a single part out of place could become a liability rather than an asset. Conversely, sometimes that small change can dramatically improve the usability of a product, almost changing the narrative completely. A wastebasket, for example, can become more than just a place for trash that we normally avoid, turning into an almost welcoming receptacle for things we will throw away as well as things that might still get another chance in life through recycling.

Designer: Fabio Rutishauser

While we’re all told to throw away our trash properly, trash cans and wastebaskets seem to be designed to discourage that habit. Because of what they hold, they’re often designed to be hidden in shame from view. Most are also designed to make it harder to place things in them, as well as difficult to segregate the different types of waste you’ll be throwing away. For example, why do all trash cans have small openings that face all the way up and away from you?

Niko challenges decades of design convention and presents a waste bin that is supposed to be more usable than ordinary waste baskets. That’s thanks to a single design change, where a “fin” protrudes from the bottom of the container, raising one side a little and making it tip forward just a bit. This puts the opening at an angle where it’s easier to put things in, even from a distance. It doesn’t require you to drop trash into the opening with precision or to walk over just to do that because the opening is facing upward.

The trash bin is also rather unique in its appearance, looking more like those file boxes you store folders and paper in. It’s actually made of two bins of different sizes, with the smaller box being a detachable container with a handle. The idea is that this section can hold sheets of uncrumpled paper that can perhaps be reused later. Of course, there’s no hard rule for that, and you can also use the two boxes to segregate different types of waste material.

Niko is made from powder-coated sheet steel, giving it its own sustainable appeal. A trash bin that encourages segregation and recycling is an ideal office accessory where there is a lot of paper waste that doesn’t get separated often enough. It also brings with it a small change that inclines the container to make it a little bit more usable while also giving it some character so that you won’t have to be embarrassed about showing it off, regardless of the trash inside.

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Samsung sustainability initiative takes a step forward with Unpacked 2022 devices

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Smartphones are one of the most ubiquitous pieces of consumer electronics in the world today. An overwhelming number of people have one, some might even have two, and millions of phones are shipped every quarter. In fact, there might be too many smartphones out there in the world, and not all of them are actually in use or even in one piece. As wonderful as smartphones are, their production and disposal contribute to the worsening state of our environment, especially because of how many they are. Smartphone manufacturers have thankfully started to be more aware of their critical role in this broken ecosystem and, even better, are starting to take action. As one of the world’s biggest smartphone makers, Samsung is thankfully taking that responsibility seriously and is boasting the achievements that take it closer to its grand goal in 2025.

Designer: Samsung

From the cradle to the grave, a smartphone’s life is filled with materials and processes that harm the environment or even people. From the plastics used in electronics to the chemicals for treating different parts to the materials used in packaging, these powerful computers in our pockets and hands are almost like death traps for the planet. It’s too late to turn back, of course, so smartphone manufacturers are instead trying to reduce their negative impact little by little on all fronts. Samsung’s “Galaxy for the Planet” initiative tries to cover those different fronts, and the newest batch of devices it just announced demonstrates the progress it has made since the program was announced last year.

Samsung started with the Galaxy S22 earlier this year by using plastics made from recycled fishing nets that would have otherwise ruined our oceans and aquatic life. Since then, Samsung has expanded the use of that material to other Galaxy devices, including the Galaxy Book 2 Pro laptop and the Galaxy Tab S8 tablets. The new Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 continue that tradition and are even joined by the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. In fact, Samsung boasts that 90% of its new pro earbuds are made using recycled materials. Given its smaller size and fewer components, that is admittedly not that hard to pull off.

The company has also been trying to improve its packaging, and no, it’s not just about removing the charger. The company now uses 100% recycled paper for the packaging of its flagship phones, which does raise questions about the state of its non-flagship phone packaging. Samsung is also trying to reduce how much single-use plastic it puts inside the box, though it’s not yet ready to get rid of them entirely. Both the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Galaxy Z Flip 4 boxes are less than half the size of their original models, which results in more efficient transport and reduced carbon emissions overall.

Sooner or later, phones do reach their end of life, mostly because they no longer meet the needs of their owners. That doesn’t mean they’re completely useless, though, especially if they’re actually still functional. Rather than simply breaking these down and having them undergo recycling processes that consume a lot of water and energy, Samsung is proposing upcycling phones to serve other needs, like acting as smart home hubs or cameras. In one specific case, old Galaxy devices even become eye diagnostic tools used in underserved communities.

These small steps forward take Samsung closer to its ambitious goal for 2025, but it might still be quite a ways away from that milestone. In three years, Samsung envisions itself as having eliminated all plastics in packaging, achieved zero waste to landfill, and used recycled materials on all mobile products, not just the flagship ones. Those are lofty goals, indeed, and some might say almost impossible to reach by 2025. When it comes to sustainability, however, every step, no matter how small, counts toward healing the planet and making sure there will still be people around to buy those fancy smartphones in the future.

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Fluff Stack is a fluffy furniture set made from denim waste

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There are a few things in life that humans can never get enough of that aren’t food. These include furniture for living spaces and clothes for our bodies. Fortunately, these two classes of products are quite ubiquitous, mostly thanks to manufacturing technologies and cheap materials. Unsurprisingly, mass-produced products aren’t the most sustainable products, and even seemingly innocent textiles have their own dirty laundry, no pun intended, when it comes to the environment. There’s also the matter of wasted unused materials like scraps and overruns that are simply discarded, often at the expense of the planet. Finding a good use for these bits and pieces might not be that easy, but one such artist thought outside the box to turn denim waste into the unlikeliest of new products: pieces of furniture.

Designer: Lenny Stopp

Common fabrics are often dyed using processes and chemicals that tend to be toxic to the environment, making it one of the textile industry’s worst secrets. Simply throwing clothes could still end up harming the planet in the long run, but even their production can be problematic from a sustainability point of view. Some pieces of clothing or fabrics might be recyclable, but scraps and bits of material aren’t so easy to reuse because of their small sizes.

A better solution would be to use them as the base for something else that may not be directly related to the world of textiles and clothing. This three-piece furniture set composed of a side table, a stool, and a lamp is one such example, using denim waste not to simply cover the surface of the furniture as you might expect. Instead, the pieces of denim come together to form the furniture’s core and structure while also giving it a texture and visual that is truly one-of-a-kind.

The idea for Fluff Stack came from the observation that denim pulp is actually very strong. This new kind of material was made by putting denim pieces into an industrial pulp machine and then was mixed with cornstarch and water. The result was a material that looked and felt fluffy but had certain durability to it, allowing it to be pressed into molds to become more rigid shapes.

The ultimate test of the strength of this new kind of material is to use it for products that need to support a lot of weight or withstand rough use. Furniture, of course, is the perfect representative of such products, and, thus, the Fluff Stack series was born. Even without knowing the history behind these art pieces cum functional furniture, Fluss Stack easily captures one’s attention and interest. Rather than straightforward forms, the pieces are composed of blocks of solidified denim pulp arranged in a maze-like combination. The fluffy appearance of their surfaces also makes them stand out as if covered with fur all around.

Fluff Stack probably won’t become a common furniture design, but it does open the doors to what can be done with fabric waste. In an ideal world, nothing really gets wasted, and even scraps can be used as foundations for something else, forming a large part of a circular economy. And apparently, they can also look good, too, which goes a long way in making them attractive as functional decor or fancy furniture.

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HUG embraces nature with a more sustainable way to make and assemble furniture

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Wood is a favorite among designers for its natural beauty, the random grains that make each piece unique, and its more sustainable source. But while it is definitely better than ordinary plastic in that regard, the extensive use of wood also has a negative impact on the environment if left unchecked. Unlike money, wood does go on trees, trees that need to be cut down in order to become the literal building blocks of furniture and other products. Those trees need to be replanted, of course, but there’s also the matter of pieces of wood that are wasted and thrown away. Plastic and metal aren’t the only things that can be recycled, and HUG tries to do the same for discarded wood that can then be used to create other pieces of wooden furniture.

Designers: Medeot Barbara, Piovesan Giulia

Using wood, a biodegradable and more sustainable material compared to plastic, doesn’t mean that there will be nothing wasted. While pieces of scrap wood do eventually decompose or can be used for smaller items, they’re still considered wasted materials and wasted potential. Pieces of plastic can sometimes be broken down and recycled into other compounds, and cutoffs can be used to make other textiles. Scrap wood, likewise, can become the foundations for other products, like furniture built from the building blocks of Progetto or “Project” HUG.

HUG isn’t simply about recycled scrap wood, though that is part of its appeal. It is defined as a “multifunctional object made up of simple elements” that can be assembled in different ways to create different pieces of furniture. In a way, it’s like a simplified LEGO system made of wooden parts, giving people the freedom to create chairs, shelves, or even benches that alternate between facing opposite directions. Best of all, you can even reassemble them as your needs change over time.

That is the third part of HUG’s appeal that they can be assembled and reassembled just as easily as LEGO bricks. That’s because the system doesn’t make use of nails or even glue, the latter being a potentially dangerous chemical that will harm the environment when it comes time to dispose of the product. Then again, HUG is designed to be reused again and again, so it’s not like it will meet the trash heap or the recycling plant anytime soon.

Progetto Hug is still in its infancy, but it definitely has a lot of potential, both in theory and in practice. The simplicity and modularity of the design make it easy to cram the parts in a flat-pack, and the flexibility of its assembly could see odd furniture constructions and ideas grow over time. The current iteration of HUG comes in a natural finish, but there could be more colors available in the future.

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This 3D printed machine turns plastic bottles into 3D printing threads

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Despite their dangers to the environment, the use of plastics is still on the rise. The material does have desirable properties that make it too easy to ignore their long-term harmful effects on our planet. Recycling plastic products, especially PET bottles, is always an option, but the costs and energy involved make many businesses and individuals just turn a blind eye to the growing problem. What if you could recycle these bottles on your own at home? What if you could use these PET bottles as the very material to create other things? That’s the almost perfect circular economy that this open source machine is trying to make a reality, and the machine itself is 3D printed using the very same material it recycles.

Designer: Reiten Cheng

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3D printers have democratized the manufacturing and production industry, allowing almost anyone with enough resources to create the objects of their dreams. While it’s nearly possible to use a variety of filaments as printing materials, the most common are still thermoplastics like PLA and ABS. These only add to the growing number of plastic-based products out in the wild that will eventually end up in landfills. There is now another way to get plastic filaments without having factories churn out fresh new ones.

The Polyformer looks interesting from the get-go, and its name sounds like something taken out of fictional literature. Its translucent white appearance is thanks to the fact that it is made from recycled plastic PET bottles, giving it an appearance that also speaks to its purpose. In a nutshell, the machine slices up PET bottles and melts them to turn them into filaments only 1.75 mm in diameter. These recycled plastic threads can then be used in normal 3D printers to create more things, probably with the same distinctive translucent appearance as the Polyformer.

This is a rather ingenious and creative way to reuse plastic bottles, especially if you’re the type to use a lot of plastic material in 3D printing. If this kind of upcycling becomes more popular, it could help reduce the creation of virgin plastic for the purpose of 3D printing. At the same time, it offers an alternative to the traditional way PET bottles are recycled. Although those can be done en masse, the process often requires long-distance transportation and more water and energy. This way, you can do your own small part in making sure those bottles get a second lease on life.

The best part about this 3D printed upcycling machine is that its designer has made available all the information needed to recreate it yourself. In addition to 3D printed parts, the Polyformer also utilizes components used in normal 3D printers that could be bought off the shelf. The design is also modular, making it easy to swap out parts and customize the design to one’s needs and tastes. Hopefully, the idea catches on and, like in open source software, gets improved on by the maker community so that there could be more sustainable sources for the materials that, in turn, form other products from these creative minds.

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