Jane Atfield was among the first to use recycled plastics to make consumer goods, with the 1992 release of the RCP2 Chair. Atfield made her own flat panels by recycling HDPE containers, colour sorting to produce panels in a variety of colours. While the chair was originally released in a limited edition it has since […]
3D printed parts reinforced with contiuous carbon fibre
Reinforce 3D, a Spanish start-up, has developed a technique to insert continuous carbon firbe strands (4-8mm in diameter) into 3D printed components. This exciting development allows fibres and resins to be inserted into cavities after components are printed (in plastic, ceramics, or other materials), overcoming the problems associated with placing fibres and printing at the […]
Do bioplastics compete with agricuture?
We are often told that the downside of bioplastics is that it competes with agricultural production. First-generation bioplastics like PLA are frequently made from corn or sugar. However, subsequent generations use the waste from agricultural corps or other sources like algae or CO2 which clearly do not compete with food production. In any event the […]
Build a house with recycled plastics
An Australian company, Studio Kite, has developed a range of enormous 3D printers specifically designed to create models and props for the film and TV industry. Following the horrific 2019/20 bushfire season in Australia, they used these printers to create wildlife nesting boxes. As China had recently introduced its China Sword policy, the company was […]
An environmentally friendly alternative to strengthen plastics
Environmentally conscious designers and manufacturers are increasingly looking for recycled plastics and bioplastics to replace virgin fossil plastics. It is often challenging to find suitable materials for any project. Without seeking to make this challenge harder, it is important that potential purchasers establish what has been added to these materials to improve their strength or […]
Colour is not the only unusual thing about this office chair from Ahrend
The Remode is claimed to be the most sustainable task chair available. Designed by Ben van Berkel of UNStudio, the Remode is fully modular (so parts can be replaced), lightweight (15kg, 30% lighter than most office chairs) and made of circular materials (54% by weight), including plastic from the ocean. Over three quarters of the […]
Not just a new material – a new production ecosystem
It’s an exciting time in the world of materials with universities and start-ups seemingly announcing alternatives to virgin fossil plastics almost every day. Many research projects are focused on developing new materials that cause less environmental impacts when compared with the virgin fossil plastics they are designed to replace. Typically, these materials are designed to […]
Pendant light created using 3D-printed PLA
The Hedron Pendant is a 3D-printed chandelier or pendant light made from PLA (Polylactic Acid). The shape is developed from a polyhedron, in this case, a 3D version of a hexagon or honeycomb, twisted and given an almost alien appearance. Poul Henningsen’s Artichoke Light (1958) was an inspiration for this project – in that the […]
Mass-balance – is it a con?
Mass balance is being promoted by plastic manufacturers (particularly BASF) as the solution to the recycling crisis. But are ‘mass-balanced’ plastics the same as recycled plastics? If you purchase a product made using mass-balanced plastic, does it contain only recycled plastics? Does your purchase result in lower environmental impacts? To create mass-balanced plastics relatively small […]
Moving the goal posts – US Plastics Pact
70 large businesses in the states have agreed to delay key sustainability targets from 2025 to 2030. The original pact had 4 targets: – Define a list of problematic and unnecessary packaging components and act to eliminate these – 100% of plastic packaging should be reusable, recyclable or compostable – 50% of plastic packaging should […]