Over 40 global creatives within the design, science, and business industries have united to support PlasticFree, a materials and systems solution platform to combat the scourge of plastic and single-use systems.
Hosted on PlasticFree.com, the platform’s Advisory Council includes: Thomas Heatherwick; Sir David Chipperfield; Tom Dixon; Shaway Yeh and Skylar Tibbits of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
THE ONLINE DESIGN TOOL is created to empower the 160 million global creatives to rethink packaging, textiles and products, with in-depth reports on over a 100 plastic-free alternatives and insights in system changes such as solid formulations and permanent reusable packaging. Powered by A Plastic Planet, it aims to help designers and business leaders eradicate one trillion pieces of plastic waste from the economy by 2025.
The website also features 125 case studies from 5 continents, giving examples where alternative materials have been used to better existing products and systems and editorial from the heroes of the design world.
The platform’s founding council also includes business leaders such as Eden Project co-founder Sir Tim Smit, WeTransfer co-founder Damian Bradfield, and Natural Fiber Welding Founder Dr Luke Haverhals. They are joined by scientists such as medical expert Professor Hugh Montgomery OBE of University College London and green chemistry pioneer Professor Terry Collins of Carnegie Mellon University.
“Everything begins with a creative process. There is significant power held by the 160m global creatives to help us rethink how we take, make and waste, to reimagine different systems and material uses in a very different way from today. Our default dependence on incredible but toxic and indestructible plastic has to end. Designers want to be part of the solution but there is a minefield of misinformation out there. If we can ignite and empower creatives by giving them trusted, relevant data and inspiring case studies, we believe we can change everything much faster,” says Sian Sutherland, co-founder of A Plastic Planet.
“As designers, we need to understand the full life-cycle of what we make. Instead of cobbling together continually emerging technologies and ideas, using PlasticFree makes it easy (and inspiring) to better our practices by bringing it all together in one trustworthy place. PlasticFree fills an important void to accelerate positive action against our biggest human challenges,” says Laura Stein, Chief Creative Officer at Bruce Mau Design and who also sits on the Creative Advisory Board for PlasticFree.