Since the industrial revolution we have been living our lives as though natural resources are unending. We have been made to believe the earth and Nature can keep supplying us everything we want. On the other hand, the business worlds have also been encouraging disposal - I remember being shocked to see when watches became disposal - I had never heard of such a thing.
eCoexist has been promoting the reuse and repurposing of objects since 2010 as part of our campaign called The Beauty of Recycling. We look at small things - that get thrown away and explore how they can be simply reused.
How the forms of one kind can be reconfigured to serve a different purpose.
In this newsletter we are happy to share with you another small innovation.
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Desktop calendars and hard paper
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Desktop calendars and hard paper
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We love paper at eCoexist - especially hard card - which lends itself to so many applications while being totally biodegradable. Desktop calendars use hard card for the backs and metal wire for the binding - both of which are materials that can last several years. In the months of June and July this year, Aayushi Sharma, a young student of Social Design from Ambedkar University in Delhi , came to eCoexist to explore what could be done with calendar backs.
She explored several design ideas and made prototypes. The design brief was that it would a product that would be easy to make and use locally available materials. Preferably waste materials. After a few trials, Aayushi decided upon a triangular case that could be used for stationary or eyeglasses and further modified to carry jewellery or medication.
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Prototyping, Training and Pilot production
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Aayushi was expected to refine the sampling on her own and then trying a group of village women to make the product. She led several training sessions with the women of Ahwalwadi and helped them understand the steps of the process. A first lot of samples was made to look at where the challenges might arise.
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Two possible ranges emerged from the design ideation - one in using fabrics to cover the cut calendar backs and the other using paper. While stitching was used for joinery in cloth - paper covers still required glues. We have not yet figured out what to do with the metal wires that are used to spiral bind the calendars.
The next step is to test the market and to see how people respond. If we are able to sell these cases , the women who produce them will earn from the production.
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Supply of old calendars and Creating a market
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To make sure the project is successful we need your help in two ways:
1. We need to bring in the used calendars from corporates that uses these in bulk
2. We need to create a market that will buy them back from us.
The paper cases can also be customised to have logos printed on them and could be useful as gifting items.
The cases can serve as packaging for items such as jewellery or stationary itself.
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To participate in this efforts or place a bulk order for the cases, please contact us at [email protected]
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