New silicone ‘clay’ lets consumers modify troublesome products

It’s a rare consumer product indeed that leaves no room for improvement, but many are downright problematic due to annoyances such as sharp corners, rough edges or weak construction. Sugru is a new silicone material that lets consumers “hack” such products themselves to make them more comfortable and useful for a longer time. The brain-child of an Irish product design student in London, Sugru can be moulded by hand or with simple tools. It sticks to things and cures at room temperature to a tough and durable yet soft-touch silicone. Available in a wide range of colours, Sugru is waterproof, flexible and dishwasher-safe once it’s cured; it’s also temperature resistant between -60 and 180 degrees C. Potential applications demonstrated on the Sugru site include covering up sharp corners, fixing broken ceramics, strengthening handles and straightforward beautification. A “Multi Hack Pack” of Sugru is priced at GBP 7, including free international shipping. Sugru sold out of its first 1,000 packs in just six hours last month, and is currently focusing on ramping up production. One to partner with to help make that happen…? (Related: Customers get paid for input on new products.) Spotted by: Icon Magazine via Collyn Ahart