Design thinking for repurposing used packaging timber

Design thinking for repurposing used packaging timber

Reddy, M.K.
Sonalika, R.

2010-10-27

Timber and wood based materials like plywood have been used for packaging from a long time. As a normal practice the used packaging timber in India is used for repacking, as firewood and low-end interior decoration purpose. Sustainable eco-efficient repurposing of used packaging timber forms the basis for „DESIGN THINKING FOR RE-PURPOSING USED PACKAGING TIMBER?. Used packaging timber from industries and warehouses is obtained by scrap dealers and sorted according to material, size, quality and quantity. The scrap dealers remove nails and screws and the material is sold in retail by weight to the user. Design Circle, Bangalore, India have been re-purposing used packaging timber and plywood from 2004 onwards. The packaging timber from scrap dealers is processed further to suit different product categories like toys, educational products, lifestyle accessories, physiotherapy products, play and furniture using regular woodworking techniques. Value addition to the material is done by glue lamination transforming the packaging timber into solid timber sections with expensive feel and look. The constrained availability of the raw material calls for design of low quantity and high quality production. The paper presents product examples for different sections of the pyramid, designed and executed at design circle, Bangalore. The paper points the constraints, fresh avenues, sustainable practices in raw material procurement and in product design. The paper emphasizes the importance of re-purposing of a renewable, sustainable, material like timber after serving its originally intended purpose.

eco-efficient
re-purposing
value-addition
educational
design-led

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Conference proceedings

conference paper

(c) 2010 Reddy, M.K.; Sonalika, R.