Remastered – A collection of recycled CD’s

Posted on October 19, 2023October 19, 2023 by Nout Kooij

Remastered – A collection of recycled CD’s

Coffee table made from recycled CDs turned into sheet material and 3D-printed legs

Research – Reusing discarded CD’s

When talking about plastic waste, we usually think about plastic packaging and disposable products. In order to reach a fully circular economy however, we will also need to find a solution for strong and longlasting plastic products that have lost their use and become waste. CD’s are a clear example of this. These plastic disks used to have great practical and emotional value, but are now discarded at large scale. We can do something with this material! We have started a collaborative research project with Emmaus thrift stores, Van der Hoevenkliniek, The Good Plastic Company, Cantor and Searious Business in order to find a solution for this valuable waste stream.

Thrift stores still receive large amounts of CD’s on a daily basis. There are 9 Emmaus stores that safe the CD’s that can’t be sold for us to use. These CD’s are brought to Van der Hoevenkliniek, where they are disassembled. The CD’s themselves, the transparant cases, the black or coloured inlays and the paper booklet are separated. The plastic waste streams are shredded in the workshop of Van der Hoevenkliniek. These shredded flakes serve as raw material for vanPlestik’s 3D-printers and The Good Plastic Company’s sheet press. During this project, vanPlestik developed 3 different products that each show the value of this material.

Remastered: 3 products made from recycled CD’s

Wall light from recycled CD cases, made with a 3D-printer

Compact Sun

The first product is Compact Sun. This wall lamp is 3D-printed from recycled CD cases. Small imperfections in the material create a distinctive reflection on the wall.

Read more about Compact Sun in our webshop.

Remastered coffeetable from recycled CDs. 3D-printed legs from CD inlays and a tabletop made from recycled CD cases pressed into a sheet

Clutch Table

In order to make this coffee table, we combined the production techniques of vanPlestik and The Good Plastic Company. The tabletop is made by The Good Plastic Company, using recycled CD cases mixed with CD’s or inlays. There are different styles and colours of table tops available.

The legs of the Clutch Table are made from the black inlays that hold the CD in place. The legs are 3D-printed by vanPlestik

Clutch Table will soon be available in our webshop!

Standing lamp made from recycled CD cases and inlays close-up

Abby lamp

This is just a small sneak-peak of the final product! We are still developing this product, but hope to be able to share more info soon!

This project is a collaboration with Emmaus de Bilt, The Good Plastic Company, Cantor and vanPlestik. The project was supported by Searious Business and partially financed by RvO Circulaire Ketenprojecten.

De Nederlandsche Bank

Posted on November 10, 2022November 10, 2022 by Nout Kooij

De Nederlandsche Bank – From paper tray to plant stand

Plastic waste from moving

In 2020, De Nederlandse Bank moved to a temporary location so that their building at Frederiksplein in Amsterdam could be renovated. During the move, about 200 kilogram of blue paper trays appeared. Normally, this clean and brightly coloured plastic waste would end up in incineration. Luckily DNB found us and we were able to process their plastic waste into new products!

Plastic postbakjes die vrijkwamen door de verhuizing van DNB

Circular product for the office

Moving usually means buying a lot of new things. Therefore, we collaborated with DNB to research which products they would still need to buy. By making one of those products, we could also prevent buying more products made from virgin materials. Eventually we decided to create a flexible solution for the lack of natural walking routes in the foyer of the new building. That’s why we 3D-printed extra high plant stands. These plant stands are now used to indicate walking routes in the open spaced lobby. In this way, the customer service desk is separated from the lobby.

Closing the loop: Plastic waste from moving turned into an interior object

During this project, we have saved over 500 kg of clean and beautifully coloured plastic from incineration! But that’s not all. By using DNB’s own plastic waste, these special plant stands have an even bigger value for De Nederlandse Bank and their employees. This is how we truly close the loop on plastic waste!

Curious what we could do with your plastic waste?

Get in touch with us

Fairphone – From phone case to sustainable stool

Posted on August 2, 2022August 2, 2022 by Nout Kooij

Fairphone – From phone case to sustainable stool

Recycling phone cases

Sustainable phone company Fairphone came to us with a special request: “are you able to recycle phone cases that have pieces of metal and silicones glued onto it?” Yes, we can!

Fairphone was looking for a solution to sustainably process their old phone cases. These specific cases had written Fairphone on the back in metal letters. And there were silicone edges on the inside to protect the phone. Since materials that are glued together are very difficult to separate, no other recycler would accept the phone cases.

Recycling with our 3D-printers

Luckily, our 3D-printers are designed and built especially to be able to process this type of waste stream. By using a thick printline, we simply melt the pieces of metal and silicone into the product. In this way we were able to recycle Fairphone’s phone cases into new seating furniture for in their HQ, and flyer holders to take to events and conventions.

Lumbar loungestoel van gerecyclede telefoonhoesjes

Een kijkje in de keuken bij Fairphone

During this project we closely collaborated with Miquel Ballester, Fairphone’s Circular Innovation Lead. Are you curious about his experience? Read this interview with him!

Finally, there is fun video that shows the entire project. Watch it here!

Are you curious to hear what we can do with your plastic?

Get in touch with us

HEMA – From make-up display to waste bin

Posted on August 2, 2022August 2, 2022 by Nout Kooij

HEMA – From make-up display to waste bin

Make-up displays en versnipperd gerecycled plastic

A unique waste stream

In 2019, all make-up displays in HEMA‘s stores were replaced. Therefore, over 2000 kilo of plastic waste came to surface. The plastic type of these displays (ABS) is rarely recycled in The Netherlands. Since the displays were collected and separated, we were able to still recycle this waste stream. That is why HEMA now has 35 recycling bins at their HQ, made from their own waste!

A different colour for every waste bin

To establish a good waste separation, the bins for the different waste streams should be clearly recognizable. Therefore, we coloured the white plastic with pigment. In this way, we created a green bin for organic waste, a blue one for the coffee cups and a red bin for plastics. Adding pigment does not have any effect on the material. We are therefore still able to recycle this material again!

HEMA rode en witte afvalscheidingsbakken van gerecycled plastic

HEMA logo for a HEMA waste separation bin

These waste separation stations are especially designed and made for HEMA. To show this clearly, we printed the HEMA logo in relief on the side of the white and red bins. In this way, we are able to make these waste separation stations truly HEMA!

Deksel van afvalscheidingsbak HEMA van gerecycled plastic

HEMA’s Innovation Lead about this project

During this project we collaborated closely with HEMA’s Innovation Lead, Fabeel Butt. Are you curious about his take on our collaboration? Read the interview here!

This is how Fairphone is changing the smartphone industry from the inside out

Posted on August 2, 2022August 2, 2022 by Nout Kooij

This is how Fairphone is changing the smartphone industry from the inside out

Creating fair(er) phones, that is Fairphone‘s mission. As Circular Innovation Lead, Miquel Ballester knows all about how to make an impact. We interviewed him about his role at Fairphone, ambitions and future plans.

You have been with Fairphone pretty much from the start. What makes Fairphone unique, according to you??

We zijn een sociale onderneming en we zijn geboren vanuit de behoefte om sociale en We are a social enterprise, and we were born to inspire social and environmental change in the electronics industry – through the development of our own product, which makes all of our projects much more tangible and powerful. What makes us unique is the impact that we have with this approach: Sustainability is not an afterthought, it’s at the core of what we do.

You are the Circular Innovation Lead at Fairphone. How would you describe this role?

I’m part of the Value Chain Innovation team. We’re always looking for new opportunities and collaborations to make an impact in the electronics industry. My focus within the team is anything that has to do with the transition to the circular economy. This doesn’t only include recycling but also the design and longevity of our product. We did a project in Ghana for example, in which we collected old phones and recycled them.

Miquel Ballester Circular Innovation Lead Fairphone

What would a typical day look like for you?

I’m an early bird, so I usually get to the office at 7:30 am. When there’s no one around, I can focus best. I write briefings for new projects or go through my emails for example. From 9:00 am my colleagues start to come in and there are usually meetings scheduled. In our weekly team meeting, we discuss our projects and the challenges that come with them. Within the value chain team, we all have our own specific topics – giving us the opportunity to learn from each other. And since we’re always looking to collaborate with external experts, I also have meetings outside of the office.

At lunchtime, the entire Fairphone team comes together. 70 great people work in our HQ in total, and it’s really cool to see everyone mixing during this time of the day. In the afternoon I try not to have too many meetings. I have some focus time again and finish up the work I have to do that day before I leave the office at 4 pm. I live in Rotterdam, so I have 40 minutes of commute. In the evening I like to work out and I spent a lot of time cooking, maybe too much time (laughs).

Just like it is for us, recycling materials is an important part of your work. How does Fairphone approach this?

We believe in a circular economy and we are working towards integrating more recycled materials into our phones. Realistically though, we will always need virgin materials as well. Therefore, mining will continue to be a part of the supply chain. But when we use virgin materials, we make sure that they are sourced in the right conditions. We are currently collaborating with Solidaridad and Unicef on a project in Uganda. This project is all about improving the standards of the working conditions in the mines. Right now, there’s a focus on wages, health and safety. In the future, we will keep on working on new materials and continue to develop the communities that live from mining. We really want to be a vehicle for change in the regions that need it most.

Looking back at your achievements with Fairphone 2, what would you say is a major product milestone?

Fairphone 2 is the first modular smartphone in the industry. We made it modular, because we want people to keep our phones far beyond the industry average of two years. This design makes it a lot easier to repair separate parts of the phone. It’s possible to change a phone screen without any tools for example – in under a minute. And it has lots of benefits for recycling as well, as this project with vanPlestik demonstrates.

Fairphone’s community is of great value for the company, can you tell us some more about that?

We zijn erg danWe are very thankful for our community, they have been really patient with us. A big part of our community is very engaged in what we do. We take their ideas and complaints very seriously – ultimately, they help us grow.

And when we talk about our community, we’re thinking about Fairphone customers, but also about our employees and partners that share our goals and ambitions. They are often an essential source of knowledge on where we are going and what we are doing.

Why are Fairphone and vanPlestik a good match, according to you?

We love vanPlestik’s approach to recycling! Using waste material that otherwise would be discarded is something that really speaks to us. Often, plastic waste in consumer electronics is burned. We wanted to put the plastic waste we have as a company to good use, so we are really happy with this collaboration.

What are the plans for the coming year?

We are always on the hunt for new impact projects. On a product level, we are continually reinventing as well. We are currently working on a new product. Unfortunately, we can’t share too many details about that just yet, it’s still in the development stage… stay tuned!

Besides that, we are looking into offering Fairphone as a service. In collaboration with Circular Economy, we are doing a pilot for businesses at the moment. The goal is to extend the lifecycle of our product, as we’ve seen that very few devices come back to us. If the phones are returned after use, it’s easier to refurbish or recycle them.

What change does Fairphone hope to make in the industry?

We hope that one day, the amount of recycled material becomes a topic to consider in the process of a consumer buying a product. Whether it’s a smartphone, toaster or washing machine. To make this happen, we have to lead by example. We believe that the best way to change the industry is to be a part of it. By making phones, we’re establishing a market for fairer electronics, opening up the supply chain, creating a positive impact and building new relationships between people and their products.

Students, Hotels ánd plastic recycling?

Posted on August 13, 2020January 27, 2022 by Marie Brändle

Students, Hotels ánd plastic recycling?

An interview with the Impact Manager of The Student Hotel: Amber Westerborg

The Student Hotel offers accommodation for students, hotel guests, co-workers and anyone in the neighbourhood interested in stopping by for a cup of coffee. They focus on making their hotels as sustainable as possible. Waste management is one of the key pillars of their sustainability strategy. That’s where vanPlestik and TSH found common ground to work on.
For their latest hotel in Delft, TSH’s Amber Westerborg and vanPlestik worked closely together on a new sustainability project. We sat down for an interview with her to find out what TSH does to operate in a sustainable manner.

“TSH invites students to stay with us, to be inspired, to find their purpose and to go out and change the world for the better”

With every new hotel The Student Hotel opens, they aim to raise their sustainability-bar even higher. The older hotels are also a part of this transition, and are constantly changing in order to become as sustainable as possible.

Amber Westenborg: Impact Manager of The Student Hotel

No pain, no gain

Working on sustainability for 14 hotels in six different countries (and 15 more hotels on the way!), it can be difficult to maintain uniformity. Luckily, Amber has quite a pragmatic approach to implementing sustainability-related projects. If something turns out to work in one hotel, it will be applied to the new ones as well, and vice-versa. If an experiment in a new hotel proves to work, it is applied in already existing hotels. This way, they are able to learn fast and create a balance between all hotels.

Behaviour is key

It is of great concern to Amber to not only create these sustainable systems, but to also engage TSH’s students and guests to make them work. She states that it’s not always easy to change people’s mindsets. By teaching them about waste and plastic for example, Amber hopes that the students will take something with them and leave with a changed point of view towards sustainability.

“Ideally, we use our hotels as an educational journey, not in a disciplined manner, but in a fun, interactive and creative manner.”

Conscious decisions lead to a groundbreaking floor!

TSH is currently working on opening a new location in Delft where they take their commitment to sustainability to another level. Amber describes this hotel as being their testing ground for circularity. She explains that the complete ground floor of the hotel was built according to circular design principles. Everything, from the windows down to the floor, is made out of sustainable materials. Examples include black steel that hasn’t been powdercoated, curtains made from recycled textiles, and a countertop made from recycled plastic bottle caps.

Interior Design Photo Shoot of The Student Hotel Berlin | TSH Berlin - Official Images by Sal Marston Photography

As we write this, our team is creating a unique product for the entrance of the hotel. We were able to replace single-use decorations with a long-lasting circular solution. The unveiling of TSH Delft and our special product will be in September. Stay tuned!

Upcycled waste bins for HEMA

Posted on July 30, 2020February 1, 2022 by Marie Brändle

Upcycled waste bins for HEMA

A product to create zero-waste headquarters

Over the last year, we have been working on our biggest collaboration project yet. We are excited to finally share the results of our project for the retail chain HEMA.

We designed and 3D printed almost 200 waste bins for their headquarters. Using old make-up displays from the HEMA stores, we created four different kinds of bins: One bin for paper, one for organic waste, one for regular waste and one for coffee cups. Together, these four bins complete one waste separation station.

The complete package: A custom-made and user-friendly design

To ensure the usability of these stations, we included helpful aspects in the design. Among these are the various colors and sizes of the bins, multiple cut-out lids and engraved labels. Another unique product characteristic is that the HEMA logo is embossed on the side, which adds a personal touch to the bins.

Closing the recycling loop

This project guided us through an exciting year of designing, testing and prototyping. By making these stations out of their own waste, HEMA Nederland was able to recycle a used product and get a new one in return. This project is one of our favorite examples to show how we can upcycle an old product and contribute to closing the loop of plastic recycling.

Are you curious about what we could create out of your plastic waste? Send us an email to info@vanPlestik.nl for potential collaborations.

Hygienic Hooks: Plastic Recycling takes on COVID-19

Posted on July 7, 2020July 7, 2020 by samvantil

Increasing the hygiene level during the Covid-19 crisis

During the latest Coronavirus outbreak, measures and restrictions have been put into place to protect the population from getting infected. Among these are the requirements of wearing face masks, washing your hands regularly, and keeping the required distance. The outbreak also opened up a new market with the demand for products to protect yourself from the fast-spreading virus. We saw this as a great challenge to take on by applying our technique of 3D printing.

Part of the solution, not the problem

Although it is uncertain how long the virus is able to survive on a surface like a doorknob, it is believed to stay there for multiple hours. Hygienic Hooks help you avoid touching doorknobs and other objects in order to stay safe and keep you from getting in contact with the virus. These hooks allow you to open doors and push elevator buttons without touching the actual surface, usually, they are made out of metal or virgin plastics. The team of vanPlestik decided to take the concept of the Hygienic Hook to the next level by producing a recycled version that is fast to produce but still fulfills the purpose of avoiding infection.

A smart technique behind a simple design

We’ve spent years developing our designs and working on our printers in order to make sure that we produce robust furniture pieces. Our normal process involves making sure that all of our printers melt layer upon layer in order for it to stick together, resulting in a stable object. With these Hygienic Hooks our production process had to be changed again and we basically wanted to achieve the exact opposite. By applying our 3D printing technique, we are able to print these hooks in layers of which we can then ‘peel off’ multiple hooks. In this case, the technique has become very useful and allows us to create one big print, which results in potentially hundreds of these protective hooks. With this new and inventive technique of peeling off layers, we can now work on a semi mass production level by delivering a fast solution, saving energy by using recycled plastic, and helping the plastic recycling problem in the process.
Conventional plastic production techniques require a more complicated and therefore longer production process to produce a high quantity of objects. Compared to the most common used process, our technique enables us to go from idea to full-on production in just days, which saves us time and allows us to work independently. With our design, we can help everyone to stay safe and still stay true to working with 100% recyclable plastic.

Wouldn’t it be great if a tool for a health crisis that spread globally also supports the solution of another worldwide problem; the pollution of plastic waste?

Internship: Hands-on 3D Printer & Product designer

Posted on December 17, 2019January 6, 2023 by samvantil

vanPlestik is looking for an ambitious designer who wants to contribute to our mission

About the internship

This internship is a combination of learning to work with our large 3D printers and designing your own product that you will produce yourself. The brief for the product is very open, so you will be able to fully use your creativity! We will teach you all about different types of plastics, melting temperatures and how to print the most beautiful designs with our large 3D printers. Meanwhile, you will work on designing your own product. We will train you to use Rhino software to convert your design into a code for the 3D printers, so that you are able to print a prototype of your own product at the end of the internship.

About vanPlestik: recycling plastic into beautiful products

We are a young company with a mission: creating beautiful circular products, raise awareness of the plastic problem and safe as much plastic as possible from incineration. We developed and build a 3D printer that uses plastic waste as a raw material. With our printers, we can locally recycle plastic into unique, high quality and affordable objects such as chairs, tables and flowerpots. We work with like minded companies such as HEMA, IKEA and Fairphone, and are looking forward to a few exciting projects in the coming months!

You will be working in a small but ambitious team, and will be challenged to truly contribute to the company. We have a very open and relaxed studio environment, and we enjoy a healthy lunch together every day.

Interested?

Do you want to contribute to our mission, and learn everything there is to know about 3D printing, and design and produce your own product? Send a message to roos@vanplestik.nl!

Why we can recycle plastic that would otherwise go to waste

Posted on September 26, 2019September 26, 2019 by Jasmijn Tuit

We turn your plastic waste into high-quality furniture. Even if the plastic is not of the perfect quality or has a small contamination. This way, we save plastic that would otherwise go to waste. An example is our recent collaboration with Fairphone. During this project, we converted broken phone cases into a series of functional objects. The Delta is one of those objects. We designed it in collaboration with Studio Voronoi. The Delta is a multifunctional piece of furniture that can be used both as a stool and as a side table.

Why we can recycle plastic that would go to waste otherwise

Nowadays, more and more people separate their plastic waste. Unfortunately, only a very small percentage of that plastic waste is recycled. Partly because of various complications that appear during the recycling process. Contamination of the plastic, for instance. Our 3D printer offers a solution to this problem. Due to the size of our 3D printer, we can print large objects. The large scale enables us to recycle plastic that would otherwise go to waste. For us, a small contamination in the plastic is no issue.

This is precisely the reason why Fairphone ended up at vanPlestik. The company had inquired about recycling their covers in various places. However, the metal logo that each case is provided with, always proved to be a problem. Fortunately, we did succeed in recycling the covers. It resulted in a series of functional objects. The origin of these new products is still clearly visible. The covers have taken on a completely different shape, but the recognizable colors have remained the same.

Back to where it all started, the objects have found a place at the Fairphone headquarters in Amsterdam. The fact that the company now has new objects from their own waste, ensures added value. In short: the circle is complete.

Want to get your hands on a Delta? Head over to our webshop.