As a keen recycler I’m always really impressed when a product is made from recycled materials.
In the past I’ve created some models out of products that can be recycled such as plastic bottles and cardboard (with the great names of Molly and Sebastian nominated by the Estates Department!) and a super sized chewing gum bin (based on the Gumdrop bins around campus) by paper mache, but yesterday I had the chance to see some chairs made out of cardboard.
Yes, you read that correctly … chairs … from cardboard!
The Architecture department tasked their first year students to design and create a chair made only from cardboard, they were not allowed to use any glue and the chair couldn’t be a 90° angle. And that’s where it got really interesting, some students used a folding technique to make their chairs more stable whilst others fitted pieces together and some even used a weaving technique, and believe it or not, they were actually rather comfy!
I would have liked to keep one for my office but I just don’t have the space! The chairs that survived (sadly they didn’t all quite make it after being tested by a group of us) will be shown in the upstairs corridor of Marlowe. I would thoroughly recommend going to have a look and testing out for yourself.
Now is the time that more and more companies are making products from recycled materials, the never ageing and Happy singer @Pharrell Williams (seriously I need to find what moisturiser he uses!) is the creative director and co-founder of Bionic Yarn for the company #rawfortheoceans
RAW takes plastic ocean waste, breaks it down and shreds into fibres and spins into strong yard with cotton, it is then weaved and knitted into jeans and other clothing products such as t-shirts, jumpers and hats.
It’s really clever and it’s a win win solution, clearing up the plastic waste that troubles our oceans and making some great clothes at the same time!
To find out more and to have a look at the inspiring collection of products on offer visit http://rawfortheoceans.g-star.com/#
Hope you all have a lovely weekend and enjoy eating those yummy chocolates that you got last week (well if you have any left, not that I’m judging!!) and I’ll be back next week with another post. In the meantime follow me on twitter @UniKentRecycle.
Until then an adaption of Bruce Forsyth’s Strictly phrase to motivate, keeeeeeep recycling!