2020 Galleries
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Galleries // 2020 Spark:CleanTech // Dell Recyclable Backpack
Dell Recyclable Backpack
Winner - Gold
Competition: Spark:CleanTech
Designer: Experience Innovation Group
Design Type: Concepts & Prototypes
Company / Organization / School: Dell Technologies
The world’s first full-featured recyclable backpack. To avoid becoming landfill at the end of its useable life the entire bag can be recycled without the need for complex disassembly due to being made from 99.9% of a single material. The backpack is manufactured from 70% recycled materials with 20% being reclaimed Ocean Bound Plastic. The reclaimed ocean plastics help to remove pollution from the environment while also providing fair wages and economic and educational opportunities to workers in emerging communities. The main materials are also colored using a sustainable dyeing process which generates up to 90% less wastewater, 62% less CO2 emissions, and uses up to 29% less energy than traditional polyester dyeing processes. Attached inside the bag are permanent instructions encouraging donation of the bag when no longer wanted, but also attached are directions how to print a pre-paid shipping label for return to recycling facilities when donation is not feasible.
JUDGES COMMENTS:
Dell Recyclable Backpack, CleanTech Design
"The break through here is the recyclable materials." "An innovative product that is well designed and solves a serious issue."
"Good design with important thought behind it."
"IF real, this is an amazing feat. 99.5% of same material. Very cool."
"Fantastic that Dell are pushing the recycled content and lifecycle of their product even further..."
"The entire bag can be recycled without the need for complex disassembly due to being made from 99.9% of a single material - The backpack is manufactured from 70% recycled materials with 20% being reclaimed Ocean Bound Plastic - The main materials are also colored using a sustainable dyeing process which generates up to 90% less wastewater, 62% less CO2 emissions, and uses up to 29% less energy than traditional polyester dyeing processes - A mono-material design creates the potential for a closed-loop product lifecycle, thereby eliminating landfill waste and creating products with minimal environmental impacts."
"Well-designed and well-rounded end-to-end process in creating this product, a positive solution to a problem of increasing concern."
