gomi creates a portable charger made from 100% non-recyclable plastic waste

after the success of their portable speaker made from plastic waste, the brighton-based sustainable design studio gomi has returned with a new environmentally-friendly portable charger. handmade using 100% non-recyclable plastic, the limited-edition 12,000mah chargers are also powered by repurposed batteries that would otherwise have gone to landfill.

all images courtesy of gomi

to create the product, gomi is utilizing two streams of waste – plastic and batteries – and transforming them into high-powered everyday portable chargers. the design studio embarked on the project with one clear question: ‘how can we turn pollutant waste materials into cherished products that people will love using everyday?’ starting with this basic principle, gomi has created a portable charger that is big enough to hold enough battery power to keep you charged for long periods without recharging, but slim enough to fit in your pocket.

with each one having a unique marbled pattern, users will enjoy owning a product that is truly individual. the chargers are also easy to manufacture in-house in gomi’s brighton workspace, therefore benefiting the local economy and avoiding any long-distance outsourcing that would add to the carbon footprint of the product. additionally, the product can be easily disassembled back into raw materials after use, allowing it to be upcycled into future objects. 

gomi works closely with food wholesalers in sussex, england, to recycle all of the plastic packaging waste – intercepting it before it’s sent to incineration or landfill. the studio also accepts plastic waste from local households and businesses. they are currently looking at new ways to scale-up their production process to intercept more waste, and they hope to use the kickstarter funds to achieve this.

sustainable designer and manager at gomi, tom meades, says ‘over the past 9 months, we have diverted around 500kg of ‘non-recyclable’ plastic packaging waste from going to landfill. we hope that by introducing an affordable, fully-circular product built from recycled plastic material, we can increase this amount by over 10x. helping to clean the planet of pollutant waste streams, but also create fun, everyday cherished products that people love to use.’ gomi are also offering a free return service to ensure the chargers are fully recycled at the end of life, as the design studio can simply remelt the plastic down to make new products. 

gomi originally won £10,000 from the environment now program to kickstart the project in january 2018, which began with their first sustainable innovation; the gomi speakers. now, their aim is to scale-up and introduce their consumer electronic products made from waste materials that are otherwise destined for landfill, to the mass global market – at an affordable price of under £40 each. the studio will be launching their limited-edition high-powered portable chargers, and you can get one here via kickstarter from 31st march 2020

project info:

project name: gomi portable chargers

design: gomi

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: lynne myers | designboom