peter marigold's reusable bioplastic FORMcards melt to fix and modify damaged objects

peter marigold’s reusable bioplastic FORMcards melt to fix and modify damaged objects
all images courtesy of peter marigold

peter marigold has developed ‘FORMcard‘ – a bioplastic capable of fixing and modifying any kind of object. launched on kickstarter, the pocket-sized meltable cards change their state simply by being placed in a cup of hot water, whereby the reaction causes them to fuse with other materials — ideal for situations when something breaks and needs a quick fix, but also when creating new products.

‘FORMcards’ are reusable, so when you’re finished with something you’ve made, or temporarily repaired, the material can be melted back down into its original shape — strong as nylon, and not rubbery — making them suitable for long lasting situations. ‘FORMcards’ are made from a starch-based bioplastic that is totally non-toxic. marigold’s team worked closely with a chemical company, moulders and even the colorant suppliers — even to go as far as rejecting the use of universal pigments which contain styrenes in favour of powder pigments — to come conceive a product that is practical and durable, over the course of time.

the ‘FORMcard’ in hot water

‘FORMcards’ are produced entirely in the UK. the plant making the raw material is one of the biggest in the world and through friendly negotiation with moulders in the UK, marigold and his team have arrived at a production price that is economical, and comparable to costs of manufacturing in east asia. normally, these types of thermoplastics are supplied in granulated form, which makes them awkward to use; the granules have to be compressed together, which is messy, wasteful and sometimes even painful. this process also restricts their use to people who are familiar with making things, but marigold believes that this material has a place in everyone’s kitchen drawer and tool-box, with properties similar to that of blu-tack or selotape. the size and thickness of the cards are the right amount of material for small, quick fixes, and their dimensions see that they fit in your wallet so you can carry them with you anywhere. they’re quick, clean, simple, instant and easy to use.

‘FORMcards’ can be used for everyday solutions

they are very strong, not rubbery, so users can fix tools with them

it can fix broken toys that don’t need to thrown away

the cars are a great addition to any toolbox

they’re handy for different situations 

the FORMcards stick to plastic 

strong, the can form into temporary emergency tools

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: piotr boruslawski | designboom