Sofia Shockman

Re-Frisbee

Sofia Shockman & Eva Solo

Part 1: Brainstorming

For my final project, I wanted to focus on the youth of Shanghai. I was inspired by the video Marcela showed us in class that depicted the kids who brought their toys to a plastic shredding machine and then produced new material to make a new product. Childhood is a definitive moment in life that has the potential to shape tendencies for the rest of the individuals’ life. So I think that part of the experience of learning about this course and how we can actually make an impact can start at the beginning stages of life in order to create habits and a lifestyle for future generations.

I toyed around with the idea to create a lego set out of recycled plastic. Lego is already creating sustainable building blocks and it is a company that is almost run 100% ethically in terms of material sourcing and employee treatment. This seemed like a great idea, but the downside was creating molds to make the lego pieces because it would have been at least 5 different molds or else it defeats the purpose of making legos if they only come in one shape. I also wanted to host a workshop that could educate children in Shanghai by telling them to bring in their old plastic toys and plastic waste laying around the house and we would then shred it, stick it in the premade molds and then heat it up.

Then, I began talking to my classmates and it wasn’t until Eva told me that she was also interested in working with some sort of children product that we came across a frisbee from Patagonia that is made out of 15% recycled plastic. We wanted to challenge that and do a disc out of 100% recycled plastic. Thus we took on a project that we named: Re-Frisbee.

Part 2: Begin ideation and experimentation

We began on our journey to construct a frisbee made out of 100% recycled plastic with the intent of children to use in mind. We first began by gathering products together. We used plastic #2 (high-density polyethylene HDPE) and #4 (low-density polyethylene LDPE). We collected many water bottle caps, soap bottles, plastic grocery bags, squeezable bottles, clear colored bottles, milk jugs, detergent bottles, juice bottles, and toiletries. We deconstructed many water bottles to take the top part off that is a different plastic from the whole rest of the water bottle. 

Then we proceeded to shred the plastic using the plastic shredder. This part was fun, I may just be weird but there is something mesmerizing and oddly satisfying about watching the plastic being shredded. We also made sure to collect the mico-plastics that fell out of the bin and stick into our bag.

                  

 

Part 3: Frisbee experimentation 

Now that we had gathered our materials, we decided to begin the process of testing out the frisbee. We debated on making a frisbee mold, but the purpose of our product was making something that a child could also repeat at home. We decided to use the pans that we found in the makerspace. We found a medium size pan and a small size pan that we used for all of our experiments. 

Trial #1 

After we heated the oven and greased up the pan we spread the plastic shreds all over to fill the pan, but not excessively. Then we waxed the outside of the smaller pan and placed it on top to press down the plastic and give it more curvature. But we added way too much plastic into this round and did not press enough pressure on it so it ended up being very clunky and heavy.

Trial #2

In our second trial, we attempted to use plastic bags in order to correct the weight from the previous trial. We mixed plastic bags and plastic shreds together and placed them into the greased up- medium-sized pan and placed it into the oven at 180 degrees Celcius. The result was a complete and utter failure because we realized that plastic bags were too think to be left in the oven at a high temperature for so long. 

After this little test, we went back to our original material of shredded plastic which did not include bags. We ran the same exact procedure as the first trial by waxing the medium pan and placing the shreds inside of it and placed it into the oven. This time we left the small-sized pan inside of the oven longer than the first one to make a larger indent into the disc. It actually ended up working out very well after we took it out of the oven and pressed it. The only problem was that the bottom was a tad burnt because we needed to adjust the time since it was a much smaller portion of plastic. But the size was just right, it looked much easier for a child to grasp and play with.

 

Trial #3

On our third test, we went back to the larger mid-sized pan because we were looking for more curvature than the last couple of tests. We ended up creating a much heavier model than our last products because we had filled up the side of the pans all the way so that there would be a lot more grasp room to hold the frisbee. Basically just extending the curvature to give it more of a frisbee shape and feel. It just ended up making it heavier.

 

Trial #4

Our last trial ended up having the best weight and design. The size is still a tad too big for children, but luckily when we did user testing it turned out being a decent shape. 

We then polished all of the discs and made a sticker design with our logo on them. We really took on the spirit of creating a product, especially after we did user testing on children. It makes the finished product come together even more concise because you can prove that it works. We created our design and used the vinyl cutter to cut our stickers out. Here are the children who were kind enough to throw a frisbee around the cafeteria with me!

 

The best part about making these frisbees was when we got to test them out in the hallway after they cooled down. This was a crucial aspect of our project that made us consider many different factors in the process. Weight was the hardest to achieve, balancing and evenly distributing the plastic to all sides was difficult to achieve. That is also why our frisbee looks wonkier on some sides. Something to consider moving forward would definitely be to make a mold. Even though it is harder and does make it a little harder to follow along, it cuts downtime and resources that one would be experimenting with in the first place. 

We have also created a zine for children ages 7-12 who can read with fun facts and a step by step tutorial on how they can make a frisbee at home. The only thing they wouldn’t have is a shredder, so we just said that one can cut the plastic up into small pieces and place them compactly into the pan. A zine is also an easy tool for the Shanghai market because children and parents are enforcing the education of English as well as sustainability throughout the city. The next step in our project would have been to host a workshop and invite children after sending them the link to our zine. 

I think this project sheds light on the issues of consumption and consumerism. It also targets kids, which are becoming more and more aware of the environment around them as well as the catastrophic issues that they are dealing with growing up. It also brings attention to the misconception that 100% recycling is hard or unattainable to do at home. More than anything that Eva and I wanted to achieve was to begin a dialogue about making something that kids can do and be more aware of when they consume or when they buy toys to also make them question whether they are consuming in a sustainable manner. Frisbee was the medium we used because it is something that I grew up with and I loved playing in the park out in the open, but I also think it brings attention to the outdoors and mother nature. 

I want to thank Marcela Godoy, Eva Solo, our Re-made in China class, and Emma and Ally (the 2 little girls who tested out our frisbees) for all of the guidance, feedback, and support throughout this project. I really enjoyed making it and also the process of understanding my material, which was #2 and #4 plastic, really well. I became an expert in melting and molding plastic as well as polishing it to give it any look. I am satiated with the finished products that we have made, but if we had more time and planned it out more efficiently, we could have made a mold with our logo and we would not have wasted materials on the sticker.

Thanks again for everything, Marcela! Twas a sensational semester learning and diving deeper into a world of trash.

We continued our experimentation phase by testing out versions of the frisbee that differed. 

The first trial was conducted using the medium-sized pan with the small-sized pan pressed inside. We used plastic #2 and #4 and spread thinly. The finishing product was a good first phase because it felt like a frisbee with the exception of the sides not being curved enough.

In the second trial, we tested using plastic bags that were also #2 and #4. We hypothesized that since the material of the plastic bag was light and airy it would produce the same effect for the frisbee. It turned out being a total failure because of many reasons: 1.) we probably should have adjusted the heat to a lower temperature 2.) it was so thin that it needed more plastic bags than we originally collected and cut.

We decided to mix the plastic bags with the shredded plastic we had to make a cleaner result, but it also completely failed and the finished product ended up looking like taffy that we had to pull apart. Very gooey!

In our third trial we decided to use a smaller pan to create a shape for a child to use. So we used the small pan that we had been using to press and we repeated the same steps of waxing and covering. The oven was still at 180 degrees Celcius and we kept an eye to not leave in for too long. 

It turned out to be completely burnt at the bottom because it was a smaller pan and had less plastic to heat. So not a total failure but the size was not that much more different than that of the first trial.

Our fourth trial was tested using the same methodology from the first trial. It also turned out fairly well, it was just a little too heavy for throwing. 

This week, Eva and I are diving into the frisbee experimentation phase. We have bounced back and forth from making a mold to just using a pan. We are debating using the pan because of the accessibility factor that anyone at home can also use. But the challenge is also in finding the right pan to fit the molding and curvature just right, especially for a child.

 

We have shredded more plastic #2 and #4

 

 

Now we have selected our pans, thanks to Marcela for letting us borrow the two pans that were already in the makerspace because we did not let go of these pans for 2 straight weeks. Here we are greasing up the pans and putting them into the oven at 180 degrees Celcius for about 30-45 minutes. 

1.) We turned on the oven to heat up until 180 degrees Celcius

2.) We greased up the medium-sized pan and coated the entire inside with a coat of wax

3.) We then placed all of the plastic shreds into the pan and spread them out thinly

4.) Afterward, we coated the small pan with wax and placed it on top of the shreds in the medium pan. We then pressed it down to mold the shreds and stuck the whole thing into the oven

5.) After about 1o minutes we took out the small pan that was inside of the medium-sized pan and pressed the medium pan under the pressure machine to mold the curvature even more

6.) After 30 minutes we took out the medium pan and stuck back under the pressure machine so that it could cool and take the shape of a frisbee

7.) We let it cool for a few hours and then tested it in the hallway for size, density, curvature, weight, and overall enjoyment

During week 12, Eva and I continued gathering and collecting more #2 and #4 plastics so that we could have enough for our first experimentation. Most of our collection included bottlecaps, PPE bottles, and lids. We shredded a large amount of plastic in class last week but we realized it was not enough to make a whole frisbee. We, therefore, made the decision to create a smaller size frisbee so that it does not take as much plastic because we underestimate how much plastic one needs as it shrinks as it undergoes heat and compression. 

The images below show the process of gathering materials and preparing the plastic for the oven. We have yet to figure out the molding but we are attempting to use pans because of the accessibility factor to everyone. The other option was to create our own mold out of wood, but we had decided that this option would be our absolute last plan because it would be much harder to replicate at home. We plan on taking measurements and adjusting our mold accordingly so that we can achieve that ideal curvature and shape.

Cradle to Cradle- a question of design

-the industrial infrastructure we have today is linear: it is focused on making a product and getting it to a customer quickly and cheaply without considering much else.

-this form of waste and landfill is called the cradle-to-grave model

-the finished products in our trash only contain about 5% of the raw material involved in the process of making and delivering it

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Accumulation: The Material Politics of Plastics

 

Final Project Proposal

Inspiration from Patagonia

Step-by-step hypothesis:

Eva and I have decided to work together for our final project. We will be making a frisbee out of recycled plastic #2, and #4. 

Hypothesis: If we recycle plastics #2 and #4, then we can make a frisbee out of them.

1.) Gather our materials: PPE from bottles, plastic bags, etc. 

2.) After we have broken down the plastics and taken off the labels, we can shred them.

3.) Once they are shredded, we will experiment with different premade molds and our own molds and then heat it in the oven.

4.) After taking the plastic out of the oven, we will test out the frisbee to see it’s feasibility and functionality. Based on the results, we will either create a new mold or leave the mold we have to experiment with new versions of color and variety.

5.) Once we have established the preparation process and have figured out the logistics of making the frisbee we can now give them to children. We can have a park day and deliver it to them with a book that we will create on how they can make their own. 

 

 

Design is the Problem by Nathan Shedroff

I think we do look at nature for a lot of solutions and inspiration in the ‘human world’. There is much left to observe and understand. There is a philosophical term called qualia that means we as humans are unable to take an animal form because it is physically impossible to feel the same emotions and expressions of going about being a certain animal. 

 

“Biomimicry teaches us to evaluate design solutions by comparing them with nature’s principles and processes.”

 

Experimentation:

During class, we experimented by following one of the examples which was the Chitosan 12% – Still Behavior. It consisted of:

-water 100 ml

-vinegar 10 ml

-chitosan 12 grams 

-glycerol 2.5 grams

We were tasked with mixing all of the components together in a blender and then after we noticed the mixture began to get thicker, we put it into a mold so that it can take its final form. 

 

 

 

 

 

For my Final Proposal:

I want to attempt to recreate a material out of styrofoam. I noticed there was so much styrofoam the day that we did a beach clean up that I want to focus my attention on a solution on the issue of waimai boxes, taobao waste, and other polyesters. 

I want to create legos for kids and for adults out of this material so that it can be used to create an even bigger picture of collaboration. Lego is one of the few large companies that are completely sustainable and will run 100% ethically by 2030. Here is their website. 

Creating these legos will already be an accomplishment, but maybe I can distribute them to children around Shanghai and see how they play with them. Then gain some more user testing from documenting those kids and how they play with the legos.

 

During last week’s workshop, we were tasked with gathering plastics (#1 & #2) in order to make a stool. I learned how to use different types of sheet paper that make the plastic more glossy or more matte. We also learned how to use the plastic shredder machine which turns the plastic into little pellets that then are given a new life. This gave me the idea to create a larger scale recycled product because previously we had been using the little pellets to make smaller-scale goods such as bowls.

 

The Beach clean up was very impactful. I had zero expectations going into the journey because living in Shanghai I am not that used to seeing waste in public spaces. Normally the government does a good job of cleaning up the streets and the parks so we never really realize how much we use and waste. I was shocked by the amount of trash but even more, struck by the variety of trash. There was so much styrofoam that the people told us to not even worry about it or pick it up. I was very confused by that because we were there to pick up trash so I went ahead with my stubborn self and picked it up everything I saw. It revealed many societal issues such as Taobao waste with the styrofoam packaging and also the problem with fast fashion because of all of the textiles and shoes that we found. 

Overall, the experience was very enjoyable and informational. I liked how in the end we weighed our trash and it actually put everything into perspective. The only skepticism I had was wondering when the trash would end back up in the ocean. I want to think that we made a difference and I really do think that we did because of the lives of people who we may have impacted from beginning to see the change of picking up the trash. So maybe that will spark a change in the way that they see conservation and recycling. 

 

Both Multiple-Helix Collaboration for the Development of a Circular Economy and Social Innovation In China discuss the importance of the contribution from all aspects of society to partake in their own role in order to protect the environment. I found it interesting that the multiple-helix collaboration was given that name because it mimics the double helix structure of DNA. The roles of organizations have a huge impact to influence the social intertwines of human society. The current model is based on consumerism and overproduction, an unethical process to take place from beginning to end. 

 

Research: Shengzhou bamboo weaving

Shengzhou is infamously known for being the home of bamboo, therefore the bamboo craft located in the east of Zhejiang province has gradually evolved into a folk handicraft. The skill developed during the Wei and Jin dynasties from 220-420. People used to weave everyday ordinary items such as pans into a novel duck shape that became useful and ornamental. 

This technique can be easily replicable with the use of plastic. By cutting Plastics 1 & 2 it is much easier to make thinner pieces that mimic the bamboo slivers. 

 

Replacing Plastic With:

1.) Grape Waste-

The winemaking industry produces a lot of grape waste — basically, the solid material that’s left behind after grapes are pressed to extract the juice that’s fermented into wine. (That amounts to about 25 percent of the weight of the grapes).

But an Italian company, Vega, is using the grape waste to make a synthetic leather that could replace vinyl imitation leather, and also into fabric for clothing. Vega has already produced a fashion line of sample wearable products for apparel company H&M, which were put on display at a 2017 exhibition. It included dresses, shoes, and bags made of the grape waste material.

 

2.)Mycotecture-

Mushrooms aren’t just a flavor-packed addition to ravioli or ragu; soon, tree-hugging fungi and forest-floor toadstools may replace materials like polystyrene, protective packaging, insulation, acoustic insulation, furniture, aquatic materials, and even leather goods.

3.) Pressed Hay-

In Poland, egg trays are being made out of pressed hay not only because it is an abundant and organic material, but it is also cheap and easy in production. It is made with a heated press and pays homage to the place where it came from.

TrashChaps

By: Sofia Shockman & Vanelly Garces

Project Statement: In this iteration of a Christina Aguilera and multi-faceted trash dispensary wearable, the inspiration came from the relationship between humans and our consumption of trash. The assless chaps are made to serve as an extension of the human body to collect trash and properly dispose of it on our own. It makes the user think of how much trash they are actually using after every use. This conscious act of disposing the trash into our own bodies allows us to also understand what the Earth witnesses on a daily basis when we throw our trash all over mother nature.

Research: The ideation came from a trip I took to Mongolia. I was at a nature park surrounded by stunning mountains and prairies with an abundance of beautiful, natural wide-open spaces. But what struck me and stole my attention away was the fact that there were trash wrappers everywhere. Cigarette buds, plastic bottles, and chip bags were just some of the few items I collected. I was so distraught to find that this scenery was being invaded by our trash. I found an old cement bag made out of synthetic plastic and I began to put all the trash I found inside of it. There was still more trash so I stuck it in my pants and my bag and stuffed myself until we found a trash can at the next stop. When talking to Vanelly about creating a wearable that could serve the purpose of disposing of trash, we both thought that pants are the easiest were a fun approach instead of a conventional bag. We thought of the idea of Chaps as well because it represents our identity as Mexican/Texan natives. Vanelly found our inspiration on Instagram one day when she was just scrolling and it is just a pair of plastic pants that have pockets big enough to fit pocky boxes in them. We also drew inspiration from one of the readings called Accumulation: The Material Politics in China which coined the term ‘materials thinking’ which has played a crucial part in the emergence of new relationships with materials and matter in general. The article discusses how engineers have manipulated materials and redesigned existing materials into new ones.

“Materials are no longer a prerequisite for the design of artifacts, and would no longer limit our possibilities of creation”- The Material Plastics of Politics

Significance: The purpose behind these chaps is to use one’s own body to collect rubbish. Whether that is when one is walking down the road or one has just eaten a candy bar and goes to dispose of it. The pockets are properly labeled to identify the recycled goods in China’s standards. As consumers, we are at the end of the chain of production- which is consumption. We are the final stop in the lives of the items that we consume and buy. Therefore, we are typically not aware of who, what, when how, and why things are being made every day. In what conditions was my pair of pants made? Who made them? How did they make them? What are they made of? Why did they use this material? How much are they getting paid to make these pants? How many raw materials were used in the production of these pants? These are questions that have come up throughout our research and throughout this semester as we have tackled and challenged recycling. We normally do not think about these issues and that is why we find ourselves in an ecological and sustainable crisis. If these pants were to be mass-produced and consumed, they would 1.) be the most sustainable piece of clothing because there was about 50-75 articles of plastic that went into the process and 2.) people would put them on and place themselves as the trash can in this position and think about their purchase/consumption and the role that they play as part of a huge waste cycle. 

Design & Production: When I was scooping up garbage on the side of the mountains in Mongolia, I managed to scavage up a huge polyester bag that was previously used as a cement bag, and I placed all of the trash insides of it. I noticed that the material was sturdy, hard, and also waterproof because it was in perfect condition when I found it. To mimic this exact material, Vanelly and I decided to use plastic bags and heat them together over almost 7 layers. You can crumble, bend, and get this material wet because the plastic has melded enough to become an almost more resistant plastic. Here, we have basically recreated that park day and have made the cement bag the texture of the material and the plastic waste which was inside of it the material. These chaps are designed for all sorts of climate and weather patterns, not limited by any means! The fringes on the side are also made of plastic bags that have a degree of polyester in them. We started by taking a clear plastic bag as our base and then we began to cut and heat various pieces of plastic such as dabao bags, bubble wrap, plastic bags, and other interesting plastics that we found along the way. From the belt to the fringe on the sie, it is all plastic. The only thing that isn’t is the pockets that we made by taking a piece of cotton and sewing it to an old dabao insulated pizza box as well as using the laser printer to print out the stickers of the trash labels. Most of the work was done in heating the bags to the pants to make sure that the texture was hard enough and wouldn’t easily break by movement. The use of plastic bags was essential because it showcased all of the original trash that we consume. Like the saying goes: ‘you are what you eat’. This was a compilation of our eating, spending, and consuming habits reflected depict just how much plastic goes into making these products. We originally considered using pieces of textiles and sewing them together but I don’t think the idea articulates as a statement with textiles. We also had originally wanted to create pants or a variation of sweatpants but we decided to make chaps because of the fact that they are such a fun accessory but also as an extension of the body. Pants feel more personal because we wear them every day, so we thought to make something that could give others a fresh take and new approach to shed light on the issue of throwing trash away and keeping an eye on what trash we create. 

Conclusion: I do not know if I am ready to conclude this project. Vanelly and I were discussing creating a fringe vest top that can be a continuation of a line of ecologically conscious wearable couture. Maybe it could turn into a partnership with brands like Cheetos or Papa Johns because we utilized so many of their bags and products in the production. It is almost like a walking advertisement billboard of brands. Our goal was communicated throughout this entire process all the way up to the end. The only thing I would change if I were to go back is to find more pockets and make them blend more into the pants. I think the shiny material was too heavy of a contrast with the light plastic bags. I would have also done the fringe another material. I would have maybe made it out of the same material as everything else and heated plastic bags into little rectangles and then they would have blended in more cohesively. But I am glad how it turned out. The message is communicated clearly in the material and the pockets give it away. But I will argue that there is a lot going on, therefore causing subtle disconnects within understanding the greater overall purpose of using them as your own trash can. I think my favorite part was heating the bags together and waiting for the texture and feel to change drastically. It felt like faux leather that was indestructible. That is when I knew that we were finished heating bags because we knew that it reached the perfect sturdiness it needed to carry itself and a potential person. I would love to endeavor in a similar project again, and even create a follow-up piece to see the differences as a beginner and amateur tailer to now.