A look at (from left to right) the Short-Circuit kettle, coffee maker and toaster. Photo: Gaspard Tiné-Berès
Living in a throwaway culture, many can’t imagine spending the time to tweak their old, worn out toaster when they can simply spend $12 on a new one.
It’s that sort of mentality that leads to small household appliances piling up in our landfills, according to Gaspard Tiné-Berès, a student at the Royal College of Art in London and creator behind Short-Circuit, a line of household appliances made from cork, recycled borosilicate glass and recycled electrical components. The student gives tired old appliances new life as sleek, modern gadgets.
Small household appliances often have working components when they’re thrown away, which works out for those who want to reuse their parts, but it also presents a potentially toxic problem for the environment.
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Tiné-Berès chose to use cork rather than plastic for its natural antibacterial properties, as well as its water-resistance and insulation. Cutting out the need for a plastic or metal mold, Tiné-Berès is able to sculpt the shape of the cork by hand, creating unique designs to typically bland-looking appliances.
Currently the product is still a prototype, but check back to Tiné-Berès’ website for future retail information.
Once it’s time to say goodbye to your Short-Circuit appliance, the cork and plastic pieces can be recycled. If still in functioning order, electrical innards can be reused or recycled. To learn how and where to recycle electrical wires and more, visit Earth911’s recycling search.
Here’s a look into the project:
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