Design Thinking for Upcycling Multilayered Plastic Waste into Functional Products

Introduction India produces 9.4 million tonnes of plastic every year. Out of which only 5.4 million tonnes are recycled. 43% of nonrecyclable plastic is used for packaging comprising majorly of multilayered plastic (MLP). Aims and Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine the possibility of using up the multilayered plastic waste to develop functional products. Methodology The study was undertaken and followed the design process. Various techniques were explored to utilize the MLPs into wearable materials. Three different techniques were used to prototype three different swatches of fabrics. These fabric swatches were tested for thermal resistance using the dry-guarded hotplate method to determine the thermal resistance. Results and Discussion It was found that the MLPs trap heat. This property was because of the aluminum layer of the MLPs, which reflects 95% of infrared radiations. Human body emits infrared radiation to maintain body heat. This understanding helped to come up with the concept of cold weather apparels which has an inner lining/filling of MLPs. To use the MLPs into apparels, it is essential to measure the fabric’s thermal resistance which shows how warm they are. The result is that the fabric with the sandwiched textile comprising of handwoven MLP fabric and polyester fabric has maximum thermal resistance. Therefore, it can be used to create apparels that trap body heat. Conclusion Further, it can be concluded that this technique of using the MLPs lays a way for more products like sleeping bags, blankets, mattresses, gloves, etc.