Plastic waste problem is becoming a bigger crisis globally. Only 9% of the 400 million tons of plastic produced each year can be recycled. Most of it is buried in landfills or accumulates on the surface of the earth by mixing with nature. According to research, approximately 8 million tons of plastic waste enters the seas each year. These plastics threaten underwater ecosystems and pose deadly dangers to underwater creatures. In addition, small particles known as microplastics can infiltrate our food chain and put human health at risk.
Designers, innovators and social movements seeking solutions to this critical problem are looking for new ways to reduce and recycle plastic waste, and are trying to create positive impact by using materials in creative ways. In this article, we will explore the Precious Plastic movement, which has developed under the leadership of Dutch industrial designer Dave Hakkens, who started a collective movement and whom we, as a community, admire.
About Dave Hakkens
Dave Hakkens is a Dutch industrial designer known for his passion for design and innovation. He started his education at the Sint Lucas Academy in 2009 and graduated from the Design Academy Eindhoven. His graduation projects have made him a big impact in the design world.
Phonebloks is one of Hakkens’ notable projects and aims to extend the life of technological devices with its modular phone concept. In the project, each part of the phone can be replaced independently, thus reducing the amount of electronic waste and making the devices more sustainable. Phonebloks is considered a revolutionary idea in the technology world and reveals the importance of long-lasting and environmentally friendly approaches in the design of electronic products.
Another big and important project of Hakkens is Precious Plastic. Hakkens’ projects emphasize the importance of building community as well as addressing environmental issues through design and technology.
Precious Plastic: A Global Movement
Precious Plastic started as a university project of Hakkens in 2012. However, this university project quickly turned into a global movement. Precious Plastic’s mission is to reduce plastic waste and raise awareness in society. Precious Plastic does not only develop recycling machines; it also tries to create a global impact by bringing people together to develop new biodegradable materials, adopt zero-waste lifestyles and combat plastic. Precious Plastic argues that people are the most important factor that will make this change possible, and its mission, similar to Reppatch, draws attention to collective consciousness.
Small Steps, Big Impacts
Precious Plastic’s success story is a great source of inspiration for creating a big impact with small steps. This formation, which started in 2012, gained momentum with the introduction of the first version in 2013. Just one year later, people all over the world were curious about these machines and began to replicate them in their local communities. This success revealed the high potential of the project, and Hakkens and his team started working on the second version in 2015. In 2016, Precious Plastic Version 2 was introduced to the world and this time reached a much wider audience with the power of the internet.
The year 2017 was a turning point for Hakkens and his team. When developing Version 3, they focused on introducing not only the machines but also more techniques to work with them. With the launch of Version 3, the Precious Plastic community matured and became a global movement. It was also now easier for members of the community to create new products with their own creativity.
In 2018, they started working on version 4 with their growing team. New machines, techniques and strategies were developed to solve the problem of plastic waste. Finally, in 2020, Precious Plastic Universe was introduced and this system set out on its path to become a global alternative recycling system.
Precious Plastic and Reppatch’s Common Members
Precious Plastic’s global movement is also causing impressive work in Turkey. Precious Plastic Turkey, P-Lab and Plastic Lab are among the important brands that are taking big steps at the local level to solve the plastic waste problem and are also common members of Precious Plastic and Reppatch.
Precious Plastic Turkey: It was founded by Haluk and represents the first local Precious Plastic movement against the plastic waste problem in Turkey. Haluk has dedicated his spare time from his job to this movement and transforms HDPE plastic waste into specially designed decorative products. Precious Plastic Turkey not only manufactures but also supports local communities in terms of raw material supply and recycling.
P-Lab: P-Lab was founded to reduce the impact of plastic consumption on nature and to raise awareness in individuals on this issue. Brand founder Niyazi aims to change the plastic ecosystem by taking part in events. Drawing attention with the durable and environmentally friendly products they produce, P-Lab gives a big social message with the keychains they give the names of endangered animals. This brand, which is looking for a solution to the plastic problem, is working to be a hope for the future with its R&D studies.
Plastic Lab: Founded by Işıl Ergincan in 2021, Plastic Lab stands out as Turkey’s first plastic material workshop. This workshop organizes trainings and workshops that introduce materials and raise public awareness in order to increase sustainability awareness. Plastic Lab works to contribute to building a sustainable future in Turkey on this path it has set out to raise awareness.
We Are Stronger Together
The story of Precious Plastic is one of the best examples of how one person’s vision can turn into a global movement. Dave Hakkens and his amazing team are pioneering a collective movement by putting not only technology but also people at the center of their fight against the plastic waste problem. As Reppatch, we are proud to share the same values as this magnificent formation. As Hakkens says: “Small steps, when repeated millions of times, can create big change.” We also believe that we are stronger and more successful together on this path.
