Sneakers made from chewing gum waste? Packaging materials made from popcorn? Food wraps and packaging materials from Banana trunks? Yes, you are about to learn some of the latest, groundbreaking sustainable inventions as you read.
You might have come across chewing gum stuck on the road, cleaned popcorn waste from your Netflix or movie night, watched organic waste like banana trunks, and even grape waste left behind from grape stomping to produce your favourite wine. Ever thought if any intelligent minds out there are really thinking of creating the best out of this waste? Well, you are not alone.
Researchers and brands alike have created unique, eco-friendly, and organic products out of waste. It sounds wild, right? Using unconventional raw materials and leftover food/drink scraps, innovators are transforming everyday waste into eco-friendly products that are not only stylish and practical, but also planet-friendly.
Let’s roll and know about the best sustainable product inventions that are creating a buzz around the globe:
Table of Contents:
1) Chewing Gum to Sneaker Soles (Gumshoe)
2) Popcorn Byproducts or Waste to Eco-Friendly Packaging Beads
3) Wine Scraps to Eco-Friendly Lamps, Wine Coolers, Soundproof Tiles & More
4) Aquipor Porous Concrete Sidewalks
5) Banana Trunks to Packaging Materials
6) Snippets About Recycled/Upcycled Products
7) FAQ’s About Recycled/Upcycled Products
8) Conclusion
1) Chewing Gum to Sneaker Soles (Gumshoe)
Don't be astounded, the sticky nuisance gum on the streets is now being picked and converted into sneaker soles. This unique sustainable product design has been put into action by Gum-Tec in association with Designer Explicit Wear and the marketing firm Iamsterdam. According to their reports, a total of 0.99 kg of gum waste can be integrated into the soles of 4 pairs of sneakers, crazy, isn't it?!
How Gumdrop Converts Chewing Gum into Sneaker Soles?
· Collection of Chewing Gum Waste
Pre and post-chewing gum waste is collected through specially placed bins wherein people can spit the chewed gum. The company is also supported by Wrigley, from where the pre-consumer gum waste is collected to be repurposed into eco-friendly products like soles, coffee cups, and many other daily-use products.
· Breaking Down the Chewing Gum
The secret sauce is that the chewing gum is processed and broken down into its synthetic rubber base (polyisobutylene or butyl rubber) that can be recycled to create many other products, like phone cases, apart from sustainable sneaker soles.
· Recycled Material Creation
This new material is then transformed into a new rubber compound aptly named “Gum-Tec” that is durable.
Uses of Gum-Tec
This new material is used to manufacture rubber outsoles of sneakers, and also other everyday-use, eco-friendly products. A notable mention is the Gumshoe that features soles made from Gum-Tec material, which comprises 20% recycled chewing gum waste.
2) Popcorn Byproducts or Waste to Eco-Friendly Packaging Beads
This grave to cradle process helps recycle the otherwise scrapped popcorn kernels into sturdy, eco-friendly packaging beads. When we think of packaging, all we can visualise is plastic, and that material is non-degradable and is proving to be a big menace.
Developed at the University of Göttingen and licensed to Nordgetreide GmbH, the granulated popcorn kernels/remnants are being converted into biodegradable packaging beads that are the best alternative to the otherwise harmful Styrofoam. This eco-friendly packaging is water-resistant and breaks down easily, thus proving itself as a guilt-free and planet-friendly way to ship your goods.
3) Wine Scraps to Eco-Friendly Lamps, Wine Coolers, Soundproof Tiles & More
When in the process of grape stomping (pigeage) to prepare your sparkling red or white wine, there is a lot of organic waste generated, like grape seeds, stems, and pulp. Ever wondered what happens to them? Well, Katharina Hölz from Moselle has given a sustainable spin to the vineyard waste generated and has developed an upcycling process to transform them into eco-friendly products for everyday use.
Love your sparkling red or white wine? You will love your sparkling drink even more when you lay your hands on wine coolers, eco-friendly home decor like lamp shades, soundproof tiles for your homes, and even organic packaging materials.
4) Aquipor Porous Concrete Sidewalks
Many urban cities globally face the problem of waterlogging on roads, terrible heat emanating from the roads and concrete sidewalks, and constantly releasing CO2. What is the solution? Enter Aquipor Concrete. This eco-friendly concrete helps in surface-level filtration, is porous, which helps in eliminating waterlogging, and ultimately leaves a net-zero carbon footprint.
How Aquipor Concrete achieves this feat is through using low-carbon binders, industrial by-products, and proprietary lightweight aggregates that help this eco-friendly concrete emit zero carbon, maintain its strength and durability, and ultimately produce an eco-friendly concrete that absorbs water naturally and lets the water seep through instead of forming pools. This is the best sustainable alternative that is proving to be helpful in city planning.
5) Banana Trunks into Packaging Materials
You might not know that only 12% of the banana plant is edible! Well, the banana leaves might be used in making plates or packaging materials, but what about the trunks? Fret not, as researchers University of New South Wales (UNSW), and a notable mention is Jayashree Arcot, saw the potential of banana pseudostems and how they can be transformed into organic everyday use products.
The banana stems are converted into nano-cellulose and then processed into eco-friendly food wraps to bags that you can carry your groceries or other items in. Also in Tamil Nadu, India, a process has been devised to extract banana fiber and create beautiful and highly in-demand eco-friendly home decor and art. This is a win-win innovation that generates income for both farmers and the artisans alike.
6) Snippets About These 5 Sustainable Inventions
|
Source Of Waste |
Transformed Eco-Friendly Products |
Sustainable Benefits |
|
Chewing Gum |
Sustainable Sneaker Soles |
Nuisance litter converted to Footwear and Everyday use sustainable products. |
|
Popcorn by -products |
Eco-friendly Packaging Beads |
Sustainable alternative to the harmful Styrofoam packaging products. |
|
Wine Scraps |
Eco-friendly Home Décor, Wine Coolers, and Soundproof Tiles |
Eco-friendly functional products. |
|
Urban Concrete Problems |
Aquipor Concrete Sidewalks |
Sustainable alternative to concrete to avoid waterlogging and flooding. |
|
Banana Trunks |
Sustainable Packaging & Eco-friendly Home Decor |
Farm waste is transformed into Sustainable packaging products, eco-friendly home décor, and sustainable art pieces. |
7) FAQ’s About Recycled/Upcycled Products
· Are recycled/upcycled products durable?
Yes, recycled or upcycled products are durable. The raw materials and sustainable design make them functional, long-lasting, and stylish in the same breath. Some examples of recycled/upcycled products are upcycled clothing, recycled plastic furniture, to name a few.
· Can I buy recycled or upcycled products in India?
Yes, there are many brands from India that are into making products like clothing, furniture, books, shoes, home décor, and many other products. You can find all such brands on Upcycleluxe, which is India’s first carbon-neutral online marketplace.
· Why should I choose sustainable or organic products over synthetic products?
Synthetic products are known to cause harm to your body and the environment. Whereas, by purchasing recycled/upcycled inventions or organic products, you directly support the healing of our damaged environment, mitigate climate change, help reduce waste, and ultimately protect your health and Mother Earth.
Conclusion: From Waste to WOW!
The above-listed sustainable innovations are living proof that sustainable living and eco-friendly or organic products are not boring. Next time you sip sparkling wine, peel a banana to make salad, eat popcorn and binge-watch TV/movies, or look at a gum stuck on the sidewalk, remember that you are living in a world where everything is possible, especially where waste becomes the canvas for a new creative change.
Shop for upcycled/recycled products on Upcycleluxe and be the change.
