In conducting the Packaging Awards, Topawardsasia is reminded every day that there is still a lot of plastic used in Japanese packaging industry. When they are no longer used as packaging, they have no place to go and are classified as "garbage”. In response, Topawardsasia has been supporting the Recycling Meets Design® Project, a co-creation project with designers and engineers to promote the recycling of plastic packaging, which will be implemented by Dai Nippon Printing Co.,Ltd.

Recycled plastics often have a negative image, but the polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) handled by this project are thermoplastic resins that can be freely formed into blocks or sheets, and the finished colors are very attractive. In this exhibition, in addition to the display of 18 ideas developed through collaboration among project members, explanations of the process of turning collected plastic into recycled plastic and samples of actual materials are also on display.

RETTER

Have you ever felt that disposable hotel amenities, are a waste? RETTER is a hotel amenity that hotel guests assemble and use. It is difficult to use the same product over and over again for hotel amenities. We have come up with a design that uses materials that have a low environmental impact and that minimize waste. After being used, guests shred them with a shredder provided at the hotel front desk and then recycle them as the same amenity. By experiencing a part of the recycling process, visitors can enjoy learning about the plastic recycling process, which is usually a black box.

GK Dynamics Inc., : Gaku Kajita
GK Dynamics Inc., : Hiroyuki Hishiki
Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. : Erena Suzuki

REPLAY RECORDS

REPLAY RECORDS" is a project to produce analog records from recycled plastic. By finding new value in music in recycled plastic, a next-generation material, we envisioned a future and a mechanism that would reduce the consumption of vinyl chloride and, at the same time, eliminate the concept of trash from music. The displayed mock-up of the first phase of this Recycling Meets Design project. Recycled plastic is cut to the size of a chord and cut into pieces. Distortion and unevenness of particles remained, resulting in a noisy state, but if smoothness can be pursued, clearer sound should be reproduced.

Nippon Design Center, Inc. : Kan Fukazawa
Nippon Design Center, Inc. : Megumi Kajiwara
Nippon Design Center, Inc. : Asaki Hoshino
Nippon Design Center, Inc. : Haruka Matsunaga
Nippon Design Center, Inc. : Yasuto Yokota

BODY RUG

We wanted to solve the garbage problem in sports stadiums. The idea was inspired by the fact that "seat cushions" are disposable. We wanted to combine “fascination to athletes" and "seat cushions" to prevent wastes and promote understanding of recycled plastic. With this in mind, we developed BODYRUG, a 3D scan of an athlete's body that provides a special experience of sitting on top of the muscles. The great appeal of recycled plastic, which contains impurities, is that it has an organic look. We believe that BODYRUG can realistically represent the extremely organic material “the human body” by using recycled plastics.

TEAM FAIR PLAY : Toshiaki Hirose
TEAM FAIR PLAY : Ami Ito
TEAM FAIR PLAY : Yusuke Fukui

Resight

“Resight" is a system to bring recycled plastic in our daily life. Recycled plastic (PP, PE) materials are grayish green in color. This is one of the factors that make it difficult for recycled plastic to exist in our daily lives since the color itself might have negative images for some people. By combining recycled plastic with brown-colored recycled wood, it can be transformed into a variety of attractive two-tone products. Resight can create new scenery in daily life with recycled materials.

COLOR. : Noriyuki Shirasu
COLOR. : Akiko Shirasu
COLOR. : Toru Sato

Nest Net

I approached this project by "weaving". Most containers and packaging plastics are recycled by "pouring melted raw materials into molds," but they are difficult to process in detail and tend to be reused in places that are out of sight. The material is then melted into a recycled rubber material and weaved. We proposed that by melting the material into recycled rubber material and weaving it, we might be able to find an unprecedented way to utilize the material with a delicate impression. Weaving also makes the product variable and interesting. Nest = nest, comfortable place. “Nest” is a nest of various animals. It is a product that snugly encloses and protects what is inside, just like the "nests" of various animals.

underline inc. : Harumi Sasaki

prosthetic leg cover

In line with the story of "connecting social materials to social products," we designed this prosthetic leg cover with the idea that the user would not hide the problematic part, but on the contrary, would want to show it.

Furthermore, we are devising a system in which the production cost of the prosthetic leg covers will be split 50-50 with partner companies. This system will reduce the economic burden on those who use prosthetic leg covers and may contribute to improving the corporate brand. We designed this product with the idea of "using recycled materials to revitalize the relationship between people and society.

SHISEIDO CREATIVE COMPANY : Yukihiro Kaneuchi
Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. : Shinichi Toda

RNI

It would be interesting to rethink the concept of "furniture" and use recycled plastic to create "living materials" that would change our daily lives. "RNI" was born from this idea. The main message of "RNI" is that it is not made for one purpose of use. It can be used as a stool, a low table, or a shelf for storing things. We have eliminated the rules that "this is how we want you to use it," and instead, we envision the user using it freely, rolling it around and around. Stacking them up creates shelves that fit books and can hold A4 paper, magazines, and other items. Our goal was to create a living material that is more like a tool than a piece of furniture.

GTDI co., Ltd. : Maku Itakura
GTDI co., Ltd. : Yuya Sugimoto

FRUCTUS

FRUCTUS is a new basket design based on the theme of "returning it to the place where it was purchased”. FRUCTUS is characterized by a soft, fruit-like form, and its five mesh surfaces are connected by a honeycomb structure to create a lightweight, strong structure. The handle is jointed to create a surface, which is designed to fit comfortably in your arm when you hold it with your arm. The easy-to-grip grip of the handle is also a key point.

NECKTIE design office : Takeo Chiboshi

TOP DROP

We came up with two types of designs.
❶ : A hard hat made of recycled plastic alone. Of course, since it is plastic, the shape is flexible. It's fashionable, washable, and it keeps your shoulders and body dry.
❷: A soft, foldable hat made of recycled plastic mixed with rubber. You can carry it in your bag and wear it when it rains. These allow you to use both of your hands while normal umbrella always needs at least one hand to hold. The idea was inspired by old Japanese straw hats. During the exhibition, we display hard hats until around 8/27 and soft hats from around 8/28.

Peter Schmidt Group : Miku Kawamura
OGAWA HIROKO DESIGN : Hiroko Ogawa

hug-olive

“hug-olive” is a proposal for a personal space that utilizes recycled plastic to provide a relaxing break in the midst of a hectic daily routine. We wondered if it would be possible to create a space with this material that would allow people to take a break from their busy lives and comfortably rest their heads for a moment. We came up with the olive-like shape that gently rocks like a cradle when you enter. By placing the center of gravity in the front, the structure is designed to rise slightly forward before a person enters. The relaxing effect of the rocking stimulus, the echoing sound inside, and the limitation of light create a minimalist experience of the extraordinary.

underline inc. : Harumi Sasaki
SHISEIDO CREATIVE COMPANY : Maria Hirokawa
GK Dynamics Inc., : Takuji Nakano

WRAP RE WRAP

Packaging materials continue to be consumed daily around the world. One-way plastics, which have a short usage period, need to be designed to have a shorter time to return to nature in the future. On the other hand, a huge amount of packaging materials that have already been produced should be sublimated into last-long items, and we proposed interior materials (system ceiling materials) that are close to human life and require permanent use. While ensuring the efficiency and safety of the existing system ceiling, we sought the comfort of spending time under the ceiling with its soft texture, using "shade" and "clouds" as motifs, in order to take advantage of the appeal of the color and texture of recycled plastic (PP/PE) materials.

STUDIO BYCOLOR Inc. : Kaori Akiyama

Living Hinge Module

The Living Hinge Module is a module that can be flexibly bent by applying a patterned three-dimensional slit to a flat sheet of waste plastic. We wanted to propose a proposal that would change the image of waste plastic, which is a little difficult to handle, through its soft image. This time, we envisioned using this module in a variety of applications across scales, from furniture to civil engineering. Specifically, we envisioned the use of the module in a variety of applications, such as cushioned stools, pavement for uneven mountain roads, and partitions that absorb sound　and transmits light.

GK Sekkei Inc. : Eiki Asada
GK Sekkei Inc. : Kanji Kato
GK Sekkei Inc. : Yoshihiro Fujiwara

up-cycle jewelry

Proposal for a brand service to up-cycle jewelry inherited from loved ones for your own use. The texture of the recycled plastic is utilized as it is and given a role again. In this way, the output is such that not only the jewelry but also the foundation inherits people's lives. Since the quality of each recycled plastic varies one by one, we hope you will enjoy the difference in the finished look of the product.

Peter Schmidt Group : Miku Kawamura

Haibon

You can enjoy the contrast between decaying ruins and vital plants, or even the scenery of plants being affected by weeds and dying plants, "Haikyo Bonsai," or "Haibon" for short. The color and texture of the recycled plastic matches the expression of decaying ruins, and the idea was conceived. The more times the plastic has been recycled, the more profound the expression of "decay" becomes. Haibon," which combines the appreciation of ruins and the appeal of bonsai, doubles the enjoyment of both, and foreshadows the birth of a new hobby. It is possible to easily recreate the "moe" scenery of decaying architecture, dynamic plants, and the "moe" scenery seen in cartoons and movies.

ZariganiWorks Co.,Ltd. : Taro Mukasa
ZariganiWorks Co.,Ltd. : Yoshitane Sakamoto
GK Dynamics Inc., : Takane Mitomi
Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. : Takashi Kagotani

PPPE

This is a proposal for a "lantern" that combines structural strength and flexibility to expand and contract, taking advantage of PP/PE's "bending-resistant” characteristics. By using a folding technique called "namako-folding," the shape of the lantern can be changed depending on the intended use, the amount of light can be adjusted, and the light diffused on the floor can be enjoyed. The LED unit and syringe (syringe tube) are intended to be incorporated inside, and the shape can be fixed. The product is made of recycled plastic and can be used both indoors and outdoors.
The lantern is just one idea, but we believe that by adding the technique of folding, the possibilities of recycled materials will expand even further.

GK Graphics Inc. : Monotari Mano

P Leaf

P Leaf is a packaging tool for luxury goods that allows products to be easily packaged, shipped, and placed directly into the recycling cycle. It is made entirely of plastic, including recycled plastic sheets, is water- and stain-resistant, and can be used repeatedly. After use, it can be recycled without separation. Inspired by the ancient Japanese method of wrapping gifts with natural materials, the shape is based on a leaf motif, with a buffer part assembled between the two leaves to easily wrap products. By changing the color, size, and shape, it can be used for a variety of products.

SHISEIDO CREATIVE COMPANY : Shoko Shiota
Graphic Desgner : Rei Kobayashi

Tsunagu

In recent years, the increase in the number of natural disasters has increased the need for the maintenance of evacuation centers. We therefore set out to address the issue of how to make the stressful environment as comfortable as possible. The requirements for stockpiling tools were to ensure privacy, be useful for children's learning and play, improve the family space environment, and be space-saving for constant storage. The "Tsunagu"　can be used as a partition by connecting the units, and as a simple chair, table, or circular tent　by assembling them. This is a new way of using recycled plastic as an alternative utility to cardboard in evacuation centers.

Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. : Takayoshi Tsuruta