Singapore-based startup Unigons has launched a restricted assortment of 3D-printed Merlion collectible figurines constructed from recycled plastic bottles. The corporate produced 60 items of those “Fortune Merlion” collectibles priced at $118 every, that includes 10 completely different colour variations and packaged in blind bins. Every 18cm-tall figurine features a pedestal base with a hidden compartment containing six charms with Chinese language script.
The manufacturing course of requires roughly 30 discarded PET plastic bottles per figurine, with many bottles donated by beverage firm Yeo Hiap Seng. Unigons used greater than 50 3D printers throughout Singapore and Vietnam for the undertaking, partnering with native 3D printing startup PlasticTinkers. The manufacturing entails separating PET waste from different plastics, cleansing and drying the fabric, then including colorants earlier than melting and extruding it into 3D printing filament.
Co-founder Joe Chua, who designed the collectibles, famous that PET is among the many few plastics appropriate for recycling into 3D printing filaments. “We added colourants to create customized hues earlier than melting and extruding the plastic into filament appropriate for 3D printing. It’s not the quickest or most cost-effective route, however it’s essentially the most significant one,” he says. Chua goals to extend the worth of recycled plastic from 80 cents to over $50 per kilogram by way of this strategy.
Based in 2017, Unigons focuses on growing artistic know-how that prioritizes sustainability. Chua acknowledges that 3D-printed collectibles face skepticism from collectors who usually affiliate them with decrease high quality, however believes current improvements in recycling know-how are enhancing the hole between recycled and virgin plastic high quality.
Supply: straitstimes.com
