A bring-your-own cutlery set made from recycled CDs

A collaboration with singer Pharrell Williams has produced a cutlery set that could help reduce the use of single-use plastics

Spotted: Single-use plastics are terrible for the environment yet, unfortunately, they can also help to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. However, a collaboration between design studio Pentatonic and the singer Pharrell Williams has produced an eco-friendly set of re-usable cutlery which hopes to encourage people to stop using single-use plastic cutlery.

The Pebble cutlery set features a knife, fork, spoon, straw and set of chopsticks that fold away inside a handy carrying case. The set is designed to be easy to slip into any purse or bag and is the first item in the Otherware collection, a design collaboration between Pentatonic and Pharrell Williams’ creative brand, I am Other.

The Pebble is made partly from recycled CDs. The metallic layer of the CDs is removed and the plastic is then shredded and turned into pellets. Pigments are added and the pellets are heated and moulded into the plastic components for the Pebble. Other materials include recycled food packaging and stainless steel.

To reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission, many businesses have stopped using reusable cutlery. At the same time, single-use plastic is extremely damaging to the environment. Pentatonic describes the Pebble as, “A dining-set that stays with you wherever you go, [and] offers the peace of mind of avoiding communal sources of cutlery when eating and drinking anywhere that’s not home.” 

With 40 billion plastic utensils thrown away in the US alone each year, many companies are developing innovative ways to help reduce single-use plastic waste. Springwise has recently covered a number of ideas for reducing this mountain of waste, including a project that turns plastic waste into construction materials and a project that turns waste into energy.

Explore more: Work & Lifestyle Innovations | COVID-19 Innovations