YES, PLASTIC! THINGS TO RETHINK

The exhibition is proposing the power of material and creativity, presenting the potential of plastic and raise the significant questions of its qualification, environmental effect, design and the approach to live effectively with plastic in the future.

Yes, Plastic! Things to Rethink (Front) (2019-01-18) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

THINK TWICE

Yes, Plastic is considerably synthetic material deriving from the challenge of declining natural resources. With the creativity, plastic can diversely be formed into different shapes and benefit different industries. It consequently replaced the entire materials with its endless possibilities. It has changed the game of mass production and the way human beings live for the past 150 years.

Yes, Plastic! Start Thinking (2019-01-18) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Yes, the first man-made plastic is not yet decomposed and it seems that one solution leads to another challenge.

It is time for us to rethink about how to use this material from the very start: beginning at how it is built, how to be used and how to create and effective after-use which delivers better system-wide economic and environmental outcomes.

Winged Victory of Samothrace (back) (2019-05-16) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Is everything in this room made from plastics?

Is everything in this room made from plastic? (2019-01-23) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Yes, they are all plastics.

Sculpture: Recycled plastic mixed with adhesive
Paintings: Canvas from synthetic fiber painted in acrylics
Floor: Plastic-blended wood scraps or wood plastic composite
Curtain & curtain straps: Synthetic fiber or 100% polyester
Wallpapers: Polyethylene [PE]
Pillars and cornices: Polyurethane [PU]
Lamps and lamp cords: Polycarbonate, Polyvinylchloride [PVC], Acrylonitrilebutadiene styene [ABS]
Chairs: Synthetic leather or Polyurethane [PU]
Label: PVC stickers on plaswood (PVC foam sheet)

Painting: Canvas from systhetic fiber painted in acrylics

School of Athens (2019-01-18) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

School of Athens
The Renaissance painting from the masterful and meticulous hands of Raphael reflects the different philosophy between Plato and Aristotle (both in the middle).
One holds abstract "Idealism", whereas the other adopts practical "Realism". The painting also conveys a peaceful atmosphere of knowledge sharing in the Age of Enlightenment.

Winged Victory of Samothrace (front) (2019-01-18) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Sculptures: Recycled plastic mixed with adhasive

Winged Victory of Samothrace
The Hellenistic sculpture of Goddess in a graceful descending act of triumph with rich textured flowing drapery.
The making of Winged Victory of Samothrace replica from recycle plastic.

Auttakorn Pomkote (Sculptor)

The making of Winged Victory of Samothrace replica form recycled plastics (2019-01-25) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

The book "Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the way we make things" (2019-01-24) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

The book "Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the way we make things" by German chemists and designers Michael Branungart and William McDonough suggests an innovative, sustainable way of design thinking that will change how the entire production process affects ecology. Even though much of the book is dedicated to how we can make use of biodegradable or recyclable materials, but the author believes that books should be an everlasting product. This is why Cradle to Cradle is published on non-degradable PVC.

The book "Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the way we make things" is published on non-degradable PVC.

Start thinking from the get-go (2019-01-25) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

How can we make plastics go away? (2019-01-25) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

How can we make plastics go away?

Although it has a long life, plastic does not have to last forever.  Once the challenge to make plastic go away became a problem to solve, biodegradable plastics from natural materials were developed to reduce problems from plastic use, especially single-use packaging which tends to be discarded after just a minute of use.  Research has also been ongoing to find chemical and biological ways to get rid of other types of plastic, which would otherwise still be around as trash a hundred years from now.

Single-use food packages and utensils from bioplastic help get rid of plastic waste as they'll decompose in no more than 180 days.

Plastic Degradation Timeline (2019-01-07) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

A lucky turn for bioplastic (image) (2019-01-25) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

A lucky turn for bioplastic

The global needs for bioplastic has been increasing by 600% in the past 10 years,
and this will be taking around 10% of the market share in 2030 with starch and cellulose as the main biomass feedstocks. Thanks to the strong agricultural sector, Thailand is the world's biggest cassava producer second biggest sugar exporter. This grants the potential to be the world's key manufacturer of bioplastic, also ideal location for bioplastics investment.

Bioplastic life cycle (2019-01-25) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Do plastics ever go away, how?

Plastics degraded in landfills (2019-02-22) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Plastics degraded in landfills (2019-01-31) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Plastics degraded in landfills
Biodegradable plastics from biomass such as corns or sugar - canes takes about 60 days to 5 years to decompose in environment rich in microorganisms but incredibly faster with industrial composting that provides an appropriate level of temperature, humidity, and soil porosites.

Water-soluble plastic (2019-02-22) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Bio-based bag from cassava (2019-01-31) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Water-soluble plastic
Bio-based bag from cassava, spending 2-3 minutes to be dissolved in hot water at 80 degree Celsius or higher.

Bioplastic can decompose in 6 months in a controlled environment, but things get easier after the upgrade of cassava-based bags. The bag is dissolved in high temperature water up to 80 degree Celsius in just 3 minutes with no chemicals left.

Plastic-digesting enzyme (2019-02-22) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Plastic-digesting enzyme (2019-01-31) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Plastic-digesting enzyme
The plastic packages from Polythylene (PE) like straws, bags, and bottles are discovered to be digested by the enzyme of moth caterpillars or Galeria Mellonella. This incredible slimy substance can daily digest around 2 milligrams of plastic. Besides, the enzyme from bacteria "Ideonella Sakaiensis" can make the whole process of plastic digesting a lot shorter: 3 days to 6 weeks in a particular ratio.

How strong can plastic be? (2019-01-07) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Plastic Road (2019-01-07) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

PlasticRoad, alternative "path" way from plastic
Plastic modular road

Plastic road is a perfect solution to the vulnerabilities to heat and impacts as well as the release of carbon dioxide found in standard asphalt-sealed roads. Plastic is stronger than concrete or rubber, lightweight, and heat-moldable. Modeled after recycled plastic with the special modular design suitable for different ways of construction. The pilot project is first applied to bike line in Zwolle and building block on highway road at Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Modular Road (2019-02-22) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Model of the "PlasticRoad"
Project authority: VolkerWessels, KWS | Wavin and Total.

Stronger-than-concrete plastic (2019-02-22) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Stronger-than-concrete plastic

Concrete can be more impact-resistant, stronger, and even lighter with the combination of foamed concrete or EPS. When exposed to heat, the "foamcrete" expanded, allowing more air to come in. It is upgraded to be nonflammable, water-repellent, easy-shaping, and sound-proof. Constructin industry is increasingly using foamed concrete as a super component in precast concrete wall panels, saving both time and money.

Foamcrete or Foamed Concrete with high impact resistance.

Plastic concrete (2019-02-22) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Foamed Concrete (Expanded Polystryrene).
Video by vitecsaigon

Recycled plastic road (2019-02-22) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

The making of recycled-plastic road in India and England.
Video by MacRebur

Model of Airbus A350 (2019-02-22) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Lightweight materials for aircrafts

Boeing and Airbus are currently attching much importance to energy consumption and safety. A ratio of 50% in manufacturing on of the latest passenger aircrafts is using plastic composite materials such Plastic-reinforced carbon fibers in the design of wings and propellers, and now plastic in lighter, stronger, and more resistant to impact than aluminum.





Model of Airbus A350 (XWB) designed to be lightweight and thus perform at a higher level, reducing the energy by approximately 20%

Stronger-than-metal plastic (2019-02-22) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Stronger-than-metal plastic

Synthetic polymer "Kevlar" possess such distinctive features as durability and lightweight, making it 5 times stronger than metal. Highly resistant to tearing, impact, chemicals, and even heat. Kevlar is used in many industries such as aircraft parts, bulletproof vests, racing suits, or cables for heavy industrial use.


Keavlar from Poly-p-phenylene terephthalamide (PPTA) with high tension force

What can plastic replace? (2019-03-07) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

What can plastic replace? [From synthetic material to high-value designs] (2019-03-07) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Plastic trees designed to resemble nature, providing the same "green" but a lot more easy-care.

Paper-mimic shoes bag with plastic durable properties (2019-03-07) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Paper-mimic shoes bag with plastic duralbe properties

Prada black backpack (2019-05-16) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Prada black backpack by Miuccia Prada designed in 1984 when nylon was first used in fashion industry apart from being material for camping tent and industrial productions.

Zigzag bag from Melissa (2019-03-07) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Zigzag bag from Melissa is one of the signature works of Campana Brothers using weaving technique and plastic tubes to create 'randomly back and forth from' inspired by hoses lying tangled in the graden.

Classic Montblanc Fountain Pen (2019-03-07) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

From synthetic material to high-value designs

Design has the ability to foster emotional connection between humans and objects, create a sense of specialness and add incredible value to materials with seemingly little intrinsic worth. As a material, plastic is endlessly flexible in its ability to meet design possibilities and needs.



Classique Montblanc Fountain Pen designed with craftsmanship and selection of shiny and procelain-like precious resin.

Louis Ghost Chair (2019-03-08) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Phillippe Starck classical clear dining armchair "Louis Ghost Chair" reveals Kartell's modern technology of plastic injection into a single-molding to design a durable and seamless form of chair.

Achieving the feel of natural materials (2019-03-07) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Achieving the feel of natural materials

Natural resources are limited but the demand for them is not. Moreover, products made from natural materials are increasingly functionally limited and highly priced. To achieve that natural feel, we need to create synthetic alternatives that mimic nature. Oftentimes, plastic is designed to closely imitate natural materials in form, color and texture.

Bekelite plastic (2019-03-08) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Bekelite Plastic

Bekelite is a type of plastic popularly used for accessories after World War II.
Modified to look unrecognizably identical to jewel, wood, coral, tortoiseshell, and ivory; Bekelite proves a great success and creativity of the fashion industry back then.

Artificial leathers (2019-03-08) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Artificial leathers tailored to resemble calfskin both in terms of pattern and texture.

Plastics function (2019-03-08) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Can living plastic become real?

Something that once existed only in our imagination may be close to coming true.  No longer just all around us, plastic now functions as part of our body and our life and will remain close to us, today and tomorrow.

living plastic become real (2019-03-08) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

When the organs in the body were replaced with plastic.

life-like artificial organs or external prostheses (2019-03-13) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Life-like artificial organs or external prostheses.
The piece were donated by Dianceht, Mexico

Plastic External Prostheses (2019-02-22) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Transplantation of artificial human organs onto real users.
Video by Dianceht, Mexico

Artificial skull and jawbone (2019-03-13) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

(Left) Artificial skull (Right) Artificial jawbone.
Research by Dr. Jintamai Suwanprateeb
from Thailand National Metal and Materials
Technology Center (MTEC)

Synthetic wig (2019-03-13) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Synthetic wig and artificial scalp from polyurethane (PU).

Prosthetic Art (2019-02-22) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Replaceable arm prosthetics.
Video by Glaze Prosthetics

Dolphin and Plastic Tail (2019-02-22) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Creation of a dolphin's prosthetic tail
for bringing back its swimming life.
Documentary animal prosthesis,
Clearwater Marine Aquarium, USA.

Yes, time to think together (2019-03-13) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

The new plastic economy by Ellen Macarthur Foundation (2019-03-13) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

New Plastic Economy is an alternative way of living with plastic in the future. The aim is to include everyone from researchers, manufacturers, business owners, designers, consumers, recyclers, and governments in the process of co-designing a brand-new cycle of how can plastic be produced, consumed, and recycled in a sustainable way. Let's call it a full journey of creating, optimizing, and recycling in the closed loop-circle.

New Plastic Economy (2019-03-13) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Circular Economy
by Ellen MacArthur Foundation

100% Recycle Jacket (2019-05-16) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

And Yes! I have an idea...

By design, this jacket uses just one material, so 100% of it can enter recycling and recovery and go back into the production process. This is just one small example of thinking it through from the start. And we believe there are many more ideas out there.

exhibition credit (2019-03-13) by TCDCThailand Creative & Design Center

Credits: Story

An exhibition by

Office of the Prime Minister
Creative Economy Agency Public Organization
Thailand Creative & Design Center
PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited (GC)

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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