Accessories design has long been governed by the principle of making timeless pieces from finite resources. For Vlasta Kubušová and Miroslav Král, founders of Crafting Plastics Studio, the sustainability-driven design firm with studios in Berlin and Bratislava, Slovakia, material goods should neither deplete the earth nor outlast our time on it. That’s why, in 2015, the duo teamed up with Pavol Alexy, a scientist from the Slovak University of Technology to create durable, biodegradable plastic. A year later, the designers launched a range of entirely sustainable eyewear made of cornstarch polylactic acid and PHB (a polymer made by microorganisms). The patented combination is stronger and more heat resistant than the average bioplastic, extending its potential beyond transient goods like packing peanuts and cutlery. Colored with flower- and algae-based dyes, the bioplastic is siphoned through a 3-D printer to form light frames that don’t require metal hinges or screws and are made of recyclable, mineral-based glass lenses. Experimenting with home goods prototypes such as coffee tables and vases, Kubušová and Král intend to expand their use of the bioplastic to other areas of design, and even make the material accessible to fellow designers. Until then, the pair is on a mission to make attractive, modern glasses that consumers will love—and that the environment will, too.
This Slovakian Design Firm 3D-Prints Biodegradable Eyewear
Crafting Plastics Studio uses a patented mixture to create durable, streamlined eyewear that won’t outlast your lifespan.
By Shyam PatelPhoto by Max Gaskins
March 09, 2018

From left: Lab in Mysterious Blue, Pearl in Orange Seaweed; price upon request; craftingplastics.com
…
Related Stories
Sean Brown’s Bold New Collection: Inflatable...
Why Big-Name Designers Team Up With Mass-Market Brands
Designer of the Day: Studio Seitz
Kvadrat’s L.A. Showroom is Adorned in Knitted Yarn
Designer of the Day: Kate Loudoun Shand
Anony’s Wisp Suspension Lamp is a Study in Design...
Es Devlin Scoops a Tony for “The Lehman Trilogy”
The Fashion Industry’s Powerful—and...
Designer of the Day: Jobe Burns
Moooi Has a Vision for Fusing the Physical and Digital
Next Article