For environmentally-conscious art lovers, Not Too Virgin Design Lab is offering a sustainable and innovative lifestyle by creating custom-made furniture from recycled plastic slabs from Thailand and the alternative material Jesmonite from the United Kingdom.
'Tray-Razzo' pieces. photos courtesy of Kwanchan Songkakul
Aligning their brand with United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, Kwanchan Songkakul and Sirada Kulphaisal, Not Too Virgin's founders, recently launched their recycled plastic project to transform high-density polyethene (HDPE) plastics from shredded bottle caps into decoration pieces.
Kwanchan said: "This project is meant to create a functional design piece with recycled material. We were inspired while studying in the UK in 2020 where we saw a boutique using recycled plastic slabs as their product stands."
Fascinated by London's upcycling ideas, Not Too Virgin's artist and her partner bought bottle caps from the global community in "Precious Plastic". Later, their purchases went to support the community's plastic recycling solution and fund education about upcycling.
Kwanchan Songkakul and Sirada Kulphisal.
Since last March, the design lab has developed a heat-press machine to combine and melt those recycled plastics into big sheets for new household products. In each experiment, HDPE plastics gave multiple colours. Apparently, all samples are vividly bright and colourful.
Not Too Virgin is now the first brand to officially distribute the natural product Jesmonite in Thailand's decorative markets. Initially, Jesmonite polymers with a special blend of water-based acrylic resins were used as the main material by Not Too Virgin to create its unique silicone moulds and customised trays in various colours, including bespoke items such as plates with golden leaves and coffee tables.
This British composite material is eco-friendly and safe for product designers and makers as it has no solvent and volatile organic compounds. Kwanchan also pointed out that Jesmonite contains gypsum-based ingredients. This gives "a similar feeling to concrete or plaster".
For its latest collections like 'Tray-Razzo' and 'Marble Collection', the lab still applies this green material to build terrazzo patterns and marble colours on its handmade trays and candle holders.
Visit nottoovirgin-designlab.com for more information.
A piece from the 'Marble Collection'.
Product samples from the new project 'Recycled Plastic Slab'.
