In the industrial processing of plastic, the homogeneity and perfection of the surfaces achieved are so central that the finished products rarely exhibit independent and lively materiality. This means that at the end of a production process it is also unrecognizable that the plastic used once had a granular form. ‘Re-crafting plastics’ is a collaborative project with BASF Designfabrik that focuses on the characteristic material quality of plastic granules. By means of a specially designed apparatus and a robotic arm, the reused granules can be processed in a new way and without any other ingredients: The granules are melted only slightly, so that they retain their structure and are joined layer by layer to form objects – the digitally controlled tools and the distinctive material behavior are always at work in contrast to each other. The traditional earthenware of the Westerwald region, known for its gray speckled salt glazes with blue decoration, served as a formal model and inspiration. Particularly typical for the so-called Kannenbäckerland (“jug bakers land”) are the Bembel used for cider, which now in the version made of plastic granules appear both flickeringly unreal and familiar at the same time. 

Find out more about this project here:

https://plastics-rubber.basf.com/emea/de/performance_polymers/news-events/stories/recrafting_plastics.html