Tag Archives: recycling

Green offices need this 360-degree rotating ergonomic stool that is recyclable by design

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In the past couple of years, the definition of the office environment has drastically changed. We are more rooted to our seats than ever before as the digital work age transports us into a new era. A good, comfortable office chair can instantly increase productivity, thanks to the comfort it guarantees. But to fill the void for a comfortable seat with a more adaptive and less space occupying option, a designer has envisioned an ergonomic stool that will adapt to the user’s body movement during long periods of sitting.

Designed to guarantee comfort and instantly increase concentration and physical fatigue, the Axis stool is, according to the designer, the first ergonomic stool created from sustainable materials. The stool is intended primarily for the demanding needs of a flexible office environment, for which, it is made lightweight and stackable – two essentials of a modern office where space comes for a premium.

Designer: Florian Blamberger and Alexander Knorr

In addition to its ergonomic design, sustainability is at the Axis’s core. The seat is made from injection molding bio thermo-polymer, which makes it a biodegradable and recyclable seating unit for the greener offices of the future. To create more impact with little mechanical intervention, the entire stool – the base and the seat – are held together using a single screw. The convenient manufacturing makes it possible that the specially engineered seat on the top can tilt in any direction so the users don’t feel the pressure while leaning from one desk to another. The base and the seat are placed inches apart from each other to allow 360-degree tilting without friction between the two components.

Axis is by virtue then, comfortable enough to let you work efficiently for long hours, albeit a backrest. The firm base of the stool keeps it sturdy on the ground, its lightweight structure permits it to be stacked up after use, while the eco-friendly construction ensures the stool can be completely recycled at the end of its life cycle.

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Sustainable, beautiful and comfy chairs that are made from stacks of factory offcut felt

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Surplus materials and offcuts are often reused to create art pieces that try to send a message. A new system, however, tries to turn what is considered waste into sustainable furniture for the living room that you can actually use and sit on.

The demand for clothing and furniture upholstery has probably gone up in the past few years, as more people become more attuned to well-designed products. That means more materials are used for production, which unfortunately also means more scraps are left on the cutting room floor, quite literally. While some of these materials are biodegradable or at least recyclable, one design firm is putting them to good use to create furniture that not only looks comfortable but artistically striking as well.

Designer: Stacklab

How many ways can you cut felt to turn it into something usable? Apparently, there are a lot of ways, especially if you let a machine decide. More than just a collection of designer furniture in the form of chairs, lounges, and benches, Stackabl is actually a new system that mixes machine precision with human creativity. In a nutshell, a specialized configurator software analyzes choices made by a user or a designer, like colors or dimensions, and selects high-quality felt offcuts that are then cut by robots for use in making furniture.

With limitations set by this configurator, six designers from Maison Gerard set out to create memorable designer furniture that looks almost wasteful if you didn’t know they were made from factory surplus and offcuts. Each designer expressed different ideas and influences, resulting in wildly different designs.

The Raki corner chair, for example, exudes a spirit of play and frivolity with its uneven form and non-uniform legs, while Dulces dining chair might remind you of the cake it’s named after, especially one with a sweet pink filling in the middle. The Madame chaise lounge’s predominantly red hue and sloping “shoulders” make it look exotic, while the Maxine bench’s mix of design influences is just as varied as its colors.

In addition to reusing materials that would normally be thrown away, Stackabl also puts the power and choice into the hands of regional manufacturers and designers. By keeping in touch with regional sources for these materials and allowing designers from that region to exercise their creativity, Stackabl tries to hit two birds with one stone in reducing carbon footprint while also enriching and empowering local economies.

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This sustainable folding stool turns wasteful PET bottles into a tool for an agile lifestyle

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Now you can sit comfortably anywhere you go and won’t look out of place while carrying your own stool around. Plus, it helps find a home for one of the biggest sources of pollution on the planet.

Have you ever found yourself needing to sit down only to discover there’s not an empty chair in sight? Whether at parties or meetings, there always comes a time when an extra chair or even just a stool can be a lifesaver. Those scenarios are what gave birth to a class of portable and folding stools, but one new entry in this category tries to keep you looking cool while you carry your stool around. In fact, no one might even suspect you’re bringing along your own seat.

Designer: KRETHO

Folding stools are nothing new, but few actually try to hide the fact that people are carrying something meant to be sat on. In contrast, the TAKEoSEAT flattens down to something that looks like a large portfolio, or at least a stylish bag made of felt. You won’t look odd carrying it around, nor would the seat look out of place in an office space. Designer KRETHO positions this portable stool as a perfect part of an agile arsenal, allowing people to just pick up their seats and move around as needed. No more rearranging furniture or sweating over a heavy chair.

This folding design is admittedly not exactly novel, but what TAKEoSEAT adds to the table is a bit of environmental focus. Each stool is made from PET felt, which is felt that comes from those plastic bottles that we use and throw away without giving a second thought about where they end up. PET bottles undergo a special process (that does, unfortunately, use up water and energy) that results in a material that feels familiar to the touch while also strong enough to support a load of 130 kg. Plus, the TAKEoSEAT itself is recyclable, too!

Of course, it would be better if we reduced the amount of PET bottles we produce and use instead, but this at least finds another way to recycle these harmful products. The beneficial effects on the environment will still largely depend on how many TAKEoSEATs are made and sold, not to mention how efficient the recycling process is as well. If you are in the market for a sustainable and portable seat that you can take anywhere, this might be one option you could consider.

Photos courtesy of Sedus

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Sustainable designs created by this upcycling product designer transforms your trash into solutions

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Forget recycling. Upcycling could be the next trend that creates new things out of old ones and save more energy at the same time.

We are probably all familiar with the idea of recycling, where certain materials are broken down to be remade into something new, usually related to the original composition, like how paper becomes recycled paper or aluminum comes become ingots. That process, however, doesn’t always work for kinds of things, and many more products end up in landfills when they could still be put to good and often unrelated use. That’s why a young product designer in Hong Kong is trying to kick off a new way of thinking that turns throwaway materials and objects into something useful and perhaps even a bit surprising.

Designer: Kevin, Cheung Wai Chun

Based in Hong Kong, Kevin Cheung describes himself as an “upcycling product designer” and distances himself from the more common concepts of recycling. In fact, he labels recycling as “downcycling” because of how the process breaks down materials rather than using them as-is. While it’s still a big step forward when it comes to sustainability, Cheung tells the South China Morning Post that the entire process still consumes a lot of water and energy in the long run.

In contrast, upcycling actually uses a material’s properties and incorporates that into a new product. Leftover felt carpets from the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, for example, are turned into a protective pouch for laptops or even comfy slippers. Coffee bean bags made from heavy-duty jute fabric can be turned into tote bags that tell the whole world your love for the drink.

You might be expecting that Cheung regularly scours waste stations and garbage dumps for materials to use, but that would actually defeat the purpose. Reusing rubbish from those sources would actually take more time and use up water, which is what upcycling is trying to avoid. Instead, the designer goes directly to the sources of these throwable objects, like companies and stores that don’t give a second thought to what they toss out. Cheung’s inaugural upcycling product, the Boombottle, uses plastic bottles from medical clinics.

More than just the environmental benefits, however, Kevin Cheung’s upcycling push also carries with it some human elements. Wallpapers that spark memories or come from other countries can turn into wallets that accompany you wherever you go. Jeans become smartphone cases that not only give a warmer and more tactile feel to an otherwise cold object but also fade in unique ways over time. Each object becomes more than just a product for use but a book that tells the story of the humans that have encountered it.

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Butterfly Wings Shopping Bag Has a Chrysalis Carrying Pouch

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Because Japan will never stop being lightyears ahead of the unusual but practical fashion game, this is the Butterfly Birth Shopping Bag from Felissimo. Available from the Japan Trend Shop, it features a green chrysalis carrying case, from which you can extract the beautiful translucent butterfly wings shopping bag, created in the likeness of the wings of a chestnut tiger butterfly, a species commonly found in Asia. I think it goes without saying, but everyone at the farmer’s market is going to be so jealous of me this spring.

Fingers crossed, the bags are a hit, and they start making them in different styles of butterfly wings because I would love to see them available in Goliath Birdwing and Emerald Swallowtail varieties. However, I would not like to see them in any icky moth wing styles. Those won’t sell, Felisimo, so don’t even waste your time.

Sure reusable butterfly wing shopping bags are cool, but do you know what would be even cooler? Reusable dragon wing shopping bags with egg-carrying pouches! Plus, we could piggyback on the popularity of Game of Thrones but not pay for any licensing rights by cleverly naming them Game of Thorns dragon wing bags. We’re gonna be rich! Or get sued.

This trash-collecting design is a hand-operated multifunctional trolley that helps sort your recycling!

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Brolley is a hand-operated trolley that was designed to aid in waste management practices, which have increased following shipping demands brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Transportation appliances like wheelbarrows and dolly carts were first designed to streamline manual labor tasks. Transporting heavy boxes from Point A to Point B becomes a lot more manageable when something is carrying the load for you.

Since their initial prototypes were put to use, hand-operated transportation trolleys have seen many forms and iterations. Today, Dosam Choi launched Brolley, a modern take on the handheld trolley cart that specifically aids in recycling delivery waste such as cardboard boxes and styrofoam peanuts.

Consolidated into a single product, Brolley consists of six elements: a broom, dustpan, trash compartment, storage area, box holder, and hook. Modular by design, Brolley disassembles piece by piece depending on each user’s need.

Held together by powerful magnetic strips, the broom detaches from the whole of Brolley to provide a means for sweeping residue from packaged goods into the product’s integrated dustpan. From there, users can store the swept-up waste in the trash compartment located on the outside of Brolley’s round base.

Once the user opens their delivered goods and is left with empty cardboard boxes, a handy storage area provides just the right amount of space for the folded boxes to nestle inside on the way to the steel trash cart.

Stray residue, like netted or cloth bags, can hang from Brolley’s built-in hook or be stuffed inside the compartment with the trash collected in the dustpan. Conceptualized in an array of different colors, Choi saw that Brolley would fit into any modern home.

Designer: Dosam Choi

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This modular basketball shoe 3D printed in parts for comfort, cushion and traction has a green heart

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Basketball shoes need a perfect blend of breathability, cushion, support and traction. Owing to the performance load, they tend to wear out quickly only to end up in landfills. As an ingenious alternative with the same prowess, an industrial designer with a love for basketball and shoes has conceived a 3D printed modular sneaker system that is built to match the standards of a Dunk High yet thrives on its concept of reparability.

The idea of sustainability is penetrating the footwear industry in a major way to say. While startups and indigenous manufacturers have made the first long stride, it’s the market leaders like Nike and adidas that are now catching up with their performance footwear donning a green conscience. Basketball shoes have not yet been touched by this wind of change; evidently, that’s really not how it will be in the years to come and already a unique concept proves that obvious.

This sustainable basketball sneaker is conceptualized by Dennis Johann Mueller. It has been through a lot of back and forthright from the drawing table to the prototype but the final outcome in images is by and large a concept that deserves to see the light of day with subtle commercial tweaks of course.

The silhouette for me is primarily a rage for its reparability quotient, much like the good conscience Fairphone. The shoe is designed in detachable parts; for instance, the upper, shankplate, midsole and outsole are all separately created to finally form a cohesive unit that can be worn to the hardwood court. This design basically offers users the freedom to adjust different shoe parts to their varying comfort and playing needs, and when they begin to wear out, only have the affected part recreated and replaced so the shoe can be worn as new.

In order to match the requirements of a great basketball shoe, this modular sneaker features a lightweight and perforated upper for good breathability. For comfort, the tongue and ankle areas have inflatable padding, which can be adjusted to need. The removable midsole, forefoot and heel regions come with detailed cushioning, while the translucent outsole wraps around the entire sneaker to act as its skin.

The full package is held together by a cord locking system that fastens the upper, midsole and outsole together without glue. This keeps each part of the shoe practical for recycling at the end of life. So, imagine a scenario where you can replace the shoe parts for the best fit and your style of play on the fly. When some section of the shoe wears out, you can have a new one tailored to perfection and assembled with the existing parts to use again while the waste goes into recycling. This is exactly what the future of the footwear industry we’d want to be realized, and Dennis’ effort is a commendable step in that direction!

Designer: Dennis Johann Mueller

 

This recycled stool is created from 4000 disinfected and hand-spun disposable face masks!

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Those blue and white face masks have become the unofficial icon of the pandemic era for all the wrong reasons. Seeing the disposable face mask worn by people has become just as common as seeing them on littered city sidewalks and street corners. Caught up in tangles of twigs and plastic waste, disposable face masks end up as floating marine debris since they cannot be recycled due to the potential risk of indirect infection and viral transmission within the recycling system. UK-based designer Joe Slatter noticed the blue and white litter all over the streets of London and decided to do something about it, weaving disinfected masks from the streets into what he calls the Veil Stool.

After collecting close to 4,000 masks from the streets of London, Slatter disinfected them by coating them in ozone spray and leaving them out in direct sunlight for four weeks. Once they were sanitized and prepared for the next step, an experimental period followed that led to Slatter discovering that 3-ply face masks, the blue and white disposable ones, could be spun into a soft yarn or melted down into a dense polypropylene structure. The stool’s final form finds a threaded, cushioned seat made from facemasks spun into a yarn mounted on top of three short stool legs hardened from melted face masks. Slatter’s recycled stool highlights not only the soft, cottony and dense, supportive nature of face masks but also the beauty that can come from confronting such a destructive issue as pollution.

For Slatter, this project goes beyond a simple recycled design, noting both the environmental and cultural significance of spinning disposable face masks into a stool, “The name ‘Veil’ comes from the notion of a veil being a fine material used to conceal the face, similar to that of a face mask. Veils are generally considered beautiful and therefore the name implies that it can be possible to see beauty in an object that is often disregarded, such as a face mask.”

Designer: Joe Slatter

By melting some of the face masks, Slatter created a three-leg base for the soft cushion, made from hand-spun face masks, to mount.

Following a period of experimentation, Slatter found out three-ply face masks could be spun into soft yarn.

4,000 masks were taken from the streets of London to create one stool.

The blue and white gradient is reminiscent of the iconic face masks but can stand alone just as well.

The yarn looks and feels familiar, but its hand-spun from three-ply face masks.

Materials used to build Veil Stool all derive from blue and white face masks.

Unilever is working on a 100% recyclable toothpaste tube… here’s what it means for the environment

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Unilever 100% Recyclable Toothpaste Tube

The Multi-national FMCG giant plans to convert its entire global toothpaste portfolio to recyclable tubes by 2025, starting with France and India – its two largest markets.

The problem with toothpaste is that there’s hardly any socially acceptable alternative to it. Sure, you could ditch bottled water and straws in a bid to save the environment. You could swear off Coca-Cola *wink-wink Ronaldo* because it’s the world’s biggest plastics polluter. You could even ditch plastic toothbrushes for recycled/bamboo ones… but how do you avoid toothpaste? There isn’t really a concrete, well-accepted alternative to it, and given how toothpaste is something the entire world uses at least once every day, it just results in thousands of tonnes of waste every year in the form of discarded toothpaste tubes. (1.5 billion tubes each year globally, according to some reports)

Unilever seems to be taking heed of this burgeoning waste problem, and after 4 years of research and development, is launching their first entirely recyclable toothpaste tube. Traditionally, toothpaste tubes have been made out of plastic, with an inner aluminum lining, to give it flexibility while keeping it food-safe and allowing it to have a higher shelf life. Unilever’s latest toothpaste tube will be made almost entirely out of HDPE – one of the most recyclable plastics there is. “It will also be the thinnest plastic material available on the toothpaste market at 220-microns, which will reduce the amount of plastic needed for each tube. To encourage wider industry change, the innovation will be made available for other companies to adopt”, mentions Unilever’s website.

Unilever 100% Recyclable Toothpaste Tube

Recycling HDPE is rather simple and can (on a basic level) even be done by consumers. However, Unilever’s approach will involve a much more robust supply and recycling chain. Not only are the tubes designed to be recyclable, but Unilever also claims it is working with multiple global recycling organizations to help ensure that the new tubes are collected and recycled; starting with France, where consumers can put the new tubes in their home recycling bin ready to be collected and turned into new products. The pilot project will begin with France, being implemented with Unilever’s oral-care brand Signal, and will make its way to India by the end of the year with Pepsodent and CloseUp, the company’s India-based brands. Samir Singh, Executive Vice President, Global Skin Cleansing and Oral Care said that Unilever will commit to ensuring that Unilever’s entire toothpaste portfolio shifts to the recyclable tubes by 2025.

Designer: Unilever

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This tube of ‘Coolpaste’ comes in a paper tube, instead of the traditional plastic tube + paper box.

This unique marbled speaker’s made from non-recyclable plastic waste.

This glass recycling bin is an interactive, aesthetic & educational design that promotes sustainable living!

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The Guangjing glass recycling station was designed to be an interactive product that played on the meaningful habit of recycling as well as the circular economy. The project aims to achieve an infinite circulation of glass and allows the public to participate in it which not only educates them but helps them associate the good habit with a positive emotion rather than as a chore. It uses the texture and reflectivity of glass as a material to create a two-way interaction between people and recycling – is not only a recycle bin, but an aesthetic and educational public installation. The recycling station can be set up anywhere – streets, recreational areas, outdoors, or any public place so that the bottles can be collected from the source of waste itself.

The design providing the general people insight into the process and encourages deeper participation in the recycling process which increases the rate of bottles recycled with this model. The raw material for making glassware is, ironically, also glass. The Guangjing glass recycling station tries to create a loop that can both create and recycle as a metaphoric ode in the design language to the material. It uses recycled glass to reproduce textured glass sheets, it is a site to recycle glass bottles, and it collects bottles that have been discarded to efficiently put them in the circulation system. It has a minimal and modern aesthetic with a white finish and rounded corners. Everything is made in plat panels so it can be easily assembled and transported.

Thin 2mm iron plates are used for the structure while also keeping it lightweight with metal punching plates, hollow tubes, and thin steel bars which use ready-made materials with bolts to reduce production costs. The 5 mm replaceable textured glass sheets and light create an artistic visual especially in bold contrast to the colors of the bottles inside. It uses a counterweight mechanism, the door pieces can be pushed open naturally by the weight of the wine bottle, and will automatically close when not in use to avoid odor escape. The bottom track adopts a non-porous iron plate with a diversion channel design to divert the residual liquid of the wine bottle in the upper layer to the bottom water box to facilitate the collection of the residual liquid.

It has a minimal and modern aesthetic with a white finish and rounded corners. And the best part? the top has a solar panel that absorbs light during the day and produces ambient lighting for 6-8 hours which adds to its artistic installation aesthetic. It also has a foldable top panel design which doubles up as a standing table for commercial places. Everything is made in plat panels and the bottom has two directional as well as two universal wheels so it can be easily assembled and transported. Just look at it, it is probably the world’s most beautiful and meaningful recycling bin!

Designer: Jack Lee and Trinna Wu

glassrecyclingbin