News — SustainableDesign
French design students Hugo Maupetit and Vivian Fischer have developed a method for collecting discarded chewing gum and turning it into colourful, recycled plastic skateboard wheels.
Design RecycledPlastic Skateboarding StudentProjects SustainableDesign
The students installed special collection boards in urban areas of Nantes, France, where passersby could stick their used gum rather than dropping it on the floor. Passersby stick their gum to public collection boards The gum was then collected every week before the gum was ground together with the collection board itself, which is made from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) plastic. The PMMA helps to stabilise the chewing gum as it is melted together and machined into wheels. "During our test phases we needed between 10 and 30 chewing gums per wheel, depending on the size of the gum and the...
To mark Earth Day, we've rounded up seven materials that designers are using to replace more polluting mainstays such as plastic, concrete and leather in a bid to limit the impacts of climate change.
All EarthDay Materials Roundups SustainableDesign
With a recent study finding that human-made materials now outweigh the total mass of Earth's living biomass, designers are becoming increasingly aware of how the products they design impact the planet. From using renewable, carbon capturing materials such as cork, algae and latex to turning reclaimed food waste into food packaging, the focus is now on the entire lifecycle of a product. This includes how raw ingredients are sourced and how they can ultimately be reused, recycled or returned to nature once the product reaches the end of its life. Read on for the seven key materials designers are reaching...