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Taiwan’s Miniwiz nominated for UK design award for recycled plastic tiles

‘Trashpresso’ recognized for turning plastic bottles into inexpensive and environmentally friendly housing tiles

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Upcycled housing tiles manufactured by Miniwiz (Image from Miniwiz)

Upcycled housing tiles manufactured by Miniwiz (Image from Miniwiz)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwanese circular economy design company Miniwiz (小智研發) is nominated for the U.K.’s Beazley Designs of the Year 2018 awards, for the company’s solar-powered recycling plant that transforms plastic bottles into housing tiles.

Miniwiz’s plastic upcycling plant called “Trashpresso” was nominated in the “product” category for its repurposing of plastic bottles into housing tiles, using only the power of the sun.

The Trashpresso project is the world’s first mobile recycling station and has been on the road since April 2017, featuring at events in China, Italy and the U.K. The project hopes to promote the circular economy and to inspire people through new approaches to recycling, according to its official website.

Taiwan’s Miniwiz nominated for UK design award for recycled plastic tiles
Trashpresso mobile upcycling station (Image from Miniwiz)

Trashpresso breaks down, purifies, and reshapes what would otherwise be plastic waste in a fashion which creates minimal waste, and is wholly powered by solar panels. Trashpresso can produce a wide-range of products including building modules, consumer goods, and furniture.

Trashpresso’s hexagon housing tile caught the eye of the judging panel of the Beazley Designs of the Year.

Taiwan’s Miniwiz nominated for UK design award for recycled plastic tiles
Housing tiles made by Trashpresso (Image from Miniwiz)

Each hexagon tile is made of either five plastic bottles, or 50 caps and ringlets.

Miniwiz was founded by Taiwanese structural engineer and architect Arthur Huang (黃謙智) in 2005, to develop environmentally friendly design and solutions based on the circular economy.

Huang told CNA that he focused his energy on environmentally friendly design for the last 15 years, and there are still many things to do in the future.

Huang suggested the speed of environmental reform in Taiwan is good, and that Taiwan is full of talented people in this space.

The Beazley Designs of the Year are curated by the Design Museum in London, which features architectural, fashion, graphic, and industrial design. This year’s design awards have nominated 87 projects across six categories.

More than 60 finalists will be showcased at the museum from Sept. 11 2018 to Jan. 6 2019, and the winners will be announced on Nov. 15.