Testimonials

"This resource will assist in bridging the knowledge gaps of how and why specific materials are recycled, regenerated and tested to fulfil required characteristics for modern sustainable products"

Peter Simmons,
Head of Creative Design Faculty, John Cabot Academy

Designing with Recycled Materials makes a potentially dull topic exciting. The product case studies provide students with concrete examples to refer to in the written examination as well as a general understanding about some of the issues which need to be considered during their controlled assessment tasks.

Brian Russell,
Director of D&T, Dixons City Academy

Excellent introduction using vibrant graphics with voice over. Useful how the DVD is split into 4-5 minute chunks – could be easily used as a starter/review without pupils becoming bored or distracted. Good focus product – school chair designed from PlayStation cases – should engage most pupils. Relates well to current GCSE and A level courses – looking at design briefs and CAD. Shows production processes, such as injection moulding. Also shows consideration of the hidden expense of tools and moulds.

Review by Design and Technology Association

Ever wondered what happens to those old Play Station casings once they are discarded? This is an excellent study into two companies Pli Design Ltd and Indesit who turn tonnes of old plastic waste into new, more environmentally friendly products.

The first programme takes us on a journey from reclaiming waste Play Station cases through the cleaning, grinding, extruding and testing procedures which lead to a new hybrid material ready for manufacturing. Students will learn how the properties of blended plastics are assessed and how designers use this information to create new products within the given brief. They will be amazed at the number of companies involved in producing what on the surface of it appears to be a relatively simple and straightforward product. End of life designing plays an important part of the company’s approach to design and the issue of keeping materials within a closed loop cycle is addressed with thought and innovation.

The second study looks at how old fridges are recycled through a series of processes sorting out the various usable metals and plastics. Indesit then use some of the plastics to manufacture parts for their washing machines.

The passion with which some of the designers talk about their work has really rubbed off on my students, encouraging them to talk much more freely about their thoughts and ideas rather than consigning them all to paper. The concept of using component parts rather than an overview of the whole product has really rubbed off on my students and they are thinking much more laterally now about how to use existing fixtures and fittings rather than having to make everything them selves. They also liked the idea of branding the product with the influence of the material’s origins: something that some of them are doing in their work.

This is an excellent DVD which illustrates the complex processes undertaken when incorporating recycled materials into new design. A very welcome and long overdue resource which qualifies many of the things I have been teaching my students for years: a must-have DVD which brings real and relevant industrial design into the classroom.

Paul Wilson,
Head of Design and Technology, Gordano School

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