the portable speaker made from 100% plastic waste by UK based studio gomi

brighton-based sustainable design studio, gomi, has created a portable speaker using flexible plastic waste (LDPE) that is normally not recyclable by local councils in the UK. the project is driven by the pressing issue of plastic trash as it currently makes up 85% of the pollution on our beaches around the world, and every year the UK alone throws away 300 million tonnes of flexible plastics. the studio’s aim is to introduce consumer electronic products made from waste materials that are otherwise destined for landfill or the ocean.

all images courtesy of gomi

the speaker is crafted from 100% recycled non-recyclable plastic. the design is made up of three modular marbled-plastic components and is made using a combination of traditional craft techniques and digital fabrication. the speakers are hand-marbled, which means that every product has its own individual aesthetic. gomi aims to have free repairs and a free returning for recycling. the speakers are designed to be modular, so they can be separated easily, and the plastic components can be melted and used for future products – without losing any material value.

‘we have worked with audio professionals and electronics engineers over the past twelve months to ensure the product is not only aesthetically desirable, but also sounds great,’ gomi’s co-founder tom meades comments. ‘we have also paired up with major food wholesalers, who have vast amounts of this specific plastic waste. we are also accepting plastic waste from households, and local stores, which is where we can have an interesting mix of colours between the waste streams.’ gomi will be going on the crowdfunding platform kickstarter on 26th february 2019. alongside releasing the speaker, they will also be releasing a portable power bank and wireless charger for smartphones made out of the same waste material. 

project info:

project type: speakers made from non-recyclable plastic waste

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