19 October 2009

Project three - Upcycling Unwanteds

Pinwheel Cushions



The brief for this project was to find consumer or industrial waste and create a useful product that has a higher perceived value than it’s original purpose.
I came across the council banners being discarded after only a short single use and could not believe what an enormous waste it was. The banners are made from a high quality, weatherproof fabric that is strong and fade resistant.
Whilst developing the idea for the pinwheel cushions I came across discarded bicycle tyre inner tubes. These inner tubes are strong, flexible and attractive but become completely useless for their original purpose after a small puncture.
Combined these two worthless items become the pinwheel cushion. Perfect for outdoor seating, kids seating in libraries and childcare centres, toys, pet bedding and can be stacked to create an ottoman.
These cushions are a weather resistant, bright, colourful and fun way to use discarded materials.

6 comments:

  1. I thought the use of material is really clever, especially the colors, since it makes them look more alive and interesting. However, is it comfortable to sit on them?

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  2. I really like this product. The material use is great, as the used banners are considered waste, as are the bike tubes. The spiral shape was not only visually pleasing, but very strong, with the way you bound it. The Pinwheel Cushions were actually quite comfortable, but i think more should have been made to make them a higher level. I found it quite interesting how the cushions can be used in various ways, including as a sunlounge to lay on, as shown in the poster. great work!

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  3. Really awesome design! I love the shiny, colourful fabric and you've made really good use of it.
    I'm just wondering about cleaning, and if they can be unraveled to put in the wash and then reassembled?
    Really eye catching design, good job:)

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  4. beautifully constructed and nice fabrics, i agree these banners are a huge waste and it is good to see them upcycled into another product. well done nice work

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  5. The best thing about this idea is that it is so simple and something anyone could do (in the way that it encourages up cycling). I really could see these in use as little seats for kids or even for adults in some kind of festive outdoor environment. I also love it because i remember seing these banners at reversed garbage thinking.. wow thats awesome material, but yet i had no idea what could with it! haha so well done.

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  6. I have sat on this and i absolutely have to say its a product that works and feels like a traditional buddhist meditation mat. I also want to commend you on exploiting the diversity of flag colours which look brilliant when simply curled together.
    On the other hand I think the inner tubings were only thing that let you down, mainly because it turned out to look like duct tape which i thought it looked a bit cheap. I think changing this into something like a green transparent water hose would make it more elegant

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