Recycle old plastic toys into stunning children's furniture!
In 2018, Vanessa Yuan and Joris Vanbriel, founders of the Belgian B-business ecoBirdy, debuted their designs at the Maison & Orchestre (M&O) in Paris, drawing widespread attention. Their collection, crafted from recycled plastic toys, features a series of children's furniture in pastel, vibrant colors reminiscent of natural marble. The designs, inspired by in-depth research into plastics, plastic toys, and their recyclability, are accompanied by a children's picture book that introduces children to the concepts of circular design and a sustainable future, inspiring them to contribute to a more sustainable future.
Yuan and Joris previously worked in design and fashion in Milan, Italy. They reflected on the need to create something new when there was already so much excellent design. Excessive consumerism is bad for the planet, so their answer was to found ecoBirdy, aiming to address the challenges facing society today through the power of sustainable business.
ecoBirdy has created a circular system from the recycling of old plastic toys to the design and production of furniture. The four-piece design furniture series is made entirely of recycled plastic and can be easily and completely recycled again.
We also create service solutions for companies or brands that want to solve the plastic problem by manufacturing new products, such as the maternal and infant care brand Mustela. We also set up recycling bins for disposable contact lens packaging in-store for ecoBirdy, produce limited-edition children's furniture and tables, and collaborate with the Belgian children's toy brand Quut.
The designers consciously chose and designed the waste material to look like a beautiful creation and practical furniture. Yuan and Joris responded: "We hope to change people's perception of products made from recycled materials."
We also hope to further promote sustainable and circular design through aesthetic design, and believe that the supply chain and recycling chain need to be synchronized. Brands must recycle their own products and cooperate with recyclers to design a smoother process in order to have a chance to win over consumers!
They sincerely stated, "In the past, under the linear economy, most industries focused on producing faster and cheaper, without considering the impact on nature or the afterlife of their products. From a global perspective, ignoring the product lifecycle is environmentally irresponsible. From a business perspective, all companies should aspire to operate sustainably. Therefore, if you can design products and services with better circularity, you'll actually earn more, and for longer!"
Upcycling into a super stylish stroller, giving the next generation a green future
When Dutch B-corporate Greentom was founded in 2013, it named its stroller, made from certified recycled plastic (rPET), "A Green Tomorrow." The company hopes that its design will allow humanity to stop petrochemical extraction and use existing plastic waste as raw materials to create beautiful products.
In 2016, the design won the Red Dot Award Jury Award. The judges unanimously agreed that the Greentom stroller was inspired by the environment, with a frame and seat carefully crafted from recycled plastic, and a high-quality modular design that cleverly complements each other. It has built-in functional details and can be folded easily and intuitively. It is very light but sturdy, providing maximum functionality and flexibility for every stage of a child's growth.
The Greentom stroller is made of over 85% recycled plastic. Its frame consists of only 34 unique parts, can be assembled in five minutes, and is certified according to applicable safety requirements and quality standards. Its modular design allows for rapid repair, refurbishment, and rental recycling. At the end of the product's lifecycle, the parts can be disassembled and recycled.
Traditional baby strollers are made up of at least 400 components and have a complex structure. In order to reduce the baby's discomfort, shock absorbers are installed, which makes the strollers heavier and more complicated in appearance.
The Greentom's design features a one-piece frame, unlike traditional aluminum alloy strollers with numerous parts, and weighs only 7 kg. Available in both a two-way model and a carrycot, the frame is universal, requiring only separate parts. This not only reduces manufacturing emissions but also saves space.
A Small Guide to Influential Business Models
In addition to pursuing shareholder interests, businesses also consider the interests of stakeholders, including community management, environmental friendliness, corporate governance, and employee care. The Business Impact Assessment (BIA) used in B Corporation certification encompasses both operations and an impact business model. An impact business model refers to a company's products or services creating benefits for specific stakeholders and serving as a source of profit.
For example, ecoBirdy received the "Environmentally Friendly" award for "Innovative Manufacturing Process Impact Business Model," which means it focuses on redesigning traditional manufacturing processes to achieve comprehensive environmental practices that protect natural resources. It scored 26.4 points. A brief description of its approach is as follows:
- Introducing an environmental management system to track its environmental impact (such as waste generated, energy or emissions data, water use, etc.) and continuously improve its goals.
- How does ecoBirdy significantly reduce the environmental impact of its manufacturing process? Compared to the general industry, ecoBirdy significantly reduces the amount of raw materials required for its products, including recycling or reusing at least 50% of the materials.
- ecoBirdy utilizes an innovative, environmentally conscious manufacturing process that achieves zero waste or closed-loop material processing and eliminates most harmful chemicals.
This article is reprinted with permission from Type B Enterprise. The original title is "Plastic waste and old toys transformed into children's furniture and strollers are winning over consumers!" It is not subject to the CC license.
Source: Environmental Information Center
