Award for lights made from fishing nets

SIGNIFY has won a design award for its range of lamps 3D printed from discarded fishing nets.

The ‘Coastal Breeze’ collection of sustainable pendant luminaires has won a Gold IDEA 2022 design award.

Up to 46 per cent of ocean plastic consists of fishing nets, lines and ropes. These nets are often discarded in the ocean, endangering the lives of marine wildlife. Transforming this waste into 3D filament disposes of 4.5 meters of fishing net per luminaire.

Original nylon fish nets are sourced from fishermen on the UK’s Cornish coast and transformed by partner Fishy Filaments into granulate, the base material for 3D printing filament. The raw material is then processed into filament in Maarheeze, the Netherlands, and 3D printed in Turnhout, Belgium.

As well as reusing ocean plastic, 3D printing process helps reduce waste and contributes to a circular economy, says the company. Items can be printed locally on demand, so no excess stock is produced.

There is no glue, fewer screws and the items are easy to disassemble and repair.

Signify says that 3D-printed luminaires represent up to 76 per cent lower emissions from material supply and manufacturing, and up to 28 per cent savings in transport.

When lit, the recycled material shows gradients of blue green tones and small irregularities which make every lamp unique, says Signify. Its designers say they were inspired by textures from the sea: sand dunes, rippling water and fish scales.

Kevin Raaijmakers of Signify, told the Circular Lighting Report: ‘The collection is special because it’s beautiful in both its design and its purpose. We want to share what we have learned about ocean pollution and the exciting solutions there are to use the waste we all generate.’

Earlier this year, Schneider Electric has unveiled a range of electrical accessories made from discarded fishermen’s nets.

The Merten M-Pure Ocean Plastic is made from 50% regular plastic and 50% from discarded fishermen’s nets.

• Recolight offers special one-day training workshops on ‘Lighting product design for a Circular Economy’. Hosted by industrial designer Simon Fisher of F Mark, the CPD-accredited event explores the design criteria, regulations and standards to help lighting manufacturers apply and demonstrate circular economy principles in product development. More HERE.