Leftovers
Master thesis 2008

A project about that which is regarded as useless, to see it’s potential and to turn it into something useful.

The first step was to explore the magnitude of wasteproduction by visiting 16 different factories. The leftovers are often clean and repetitive with as high quality as the manufactured products. They have been categorized and looked upon as materials, serving as a basis for an experimental design process. A selection of 4 different materials have resulted in lamps, packages, a whip and slippers.

Lamp
Company: Helsingborgs gummifabriks AB
Production: Extrusion
Material: Silicon rubber tubes

Approximatley 100 meters of waste are produced every time the machine is started. Since the tubes spread light and have a high heat resistance, it have served as material for lamps, one for office environment and one for home. The last step in the production lies on the user, who can cut the lamps in any haircut he/she prefers.

Packaging
Company: Specialplast Wensbo AB
Production: Lasercutting, Printing
Material: Plastic IV-bags

Production of IV-bags generate inflatable cut-offs. The only addition that is needed for the leftovers to function as packaging for liquid, is one weld on the top and one weld on the bottom as well as a print explaining the content. Schampo, conditioner and soap are made to give showering a touch of self-medication. The bags can be used as refill or as they are, hanging in the shower. The content stays in the package when it is open, due to surface tension.

Slippers
Company: Golvabia AB
Production: Cutting
Material: Wall to wall carpets

The production of carpets involves cutting off pieces in sizes up to 4 m2. The slippers are a complement to the carpet to create a connection between user and floor.