Smartphones, tablets and other devices has spurred on the tech accessory industry in a robust way; yet the Ekocycle Cube 3D printer hopes to introduce a bit of an environmentally conscious element so as to reduce waste in a couple of ways. It uses plastic bottles from Coca-Cola to create iPhone cases. This ensures that discarded bottles are given a second chance at life while also ensuring additional waste isn't created by making brand new cases.
A project helmed by Will.i.am, the Ekocycle Cube 3D printer is part of 3Dsystems of which the musician is chief creative officer. Each cartridge used by the machine is made in part by recycled 20oz plastic containers, three to be exact.
Recycled Phone Cases
Coca-Cola and Will.i.am Create the Ekocycle Cube 3D Printer
Trend Themes
1. Sustainable 3D Printing - The rise of 3D printing coupled with the urgency to reduce waste presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for companies developing eco-friendly 3D printing technologies that use recycled materials.
2. Eco-friendly Phone Accessories - The trend towards environmentally conscious consumerism presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for companies creating phone accessories from recycled materials, such as plastic bottles, to meet the demand for sustainable tech products.
3. Circular Economy - The concept of the circular economy, where waste is reduced, reused, and recycled, is a disruptive innovation opportunity for companies developing products and services that address waste and promote sustainability, like the Ekocycle Cube 3D printer.
Industry Implications
1. 3D Printing - Companies in the 3D printing industry can disrupt the market by developing eco-friendly products that use recycled materials, like the Ekocycle Cube 3D printer, to meet the demand for sustainable technologies.
2. Tech Accessories - The tech accessory industry can disrupt the market by creating products from sustainable materials, like recycled plastic bottles, to address consumer demand for eco-friendly phone accessories.
3. Sustainability - Companies working to address environmental sustainability, like Coca-Cola and Will.i.am with the Ekocycle Cube 3D printer, can disrupt industries by developing innovative products and services that promote the circular economy and reduce waste.