Plastic Regrind: Art in a Vacuum

Electrolux Vacs From the Sea (plastic regrind)

Art doesn’t exist in a vacuum, but Electrolux begs to differ. Their Vacs from the Sea initiative seeks to raise awareness about our growing plastic debris problem. Teams collected colorful detritus from five oceans around the world and then used the trash to create limited edition vacuum cleaners.

Electrolux Vacs From the Sea (plastic regrind)While you can’t buy these “arty” models, Electrolux is manufacturing the Ultra One Green, a vacuum made from 70% recycled plastic. The name Ultra Green One sounds wise and Yoda-like, but personally, I would have gone with “Vac to the Future” if I were them.

Electrolux Vacs From the Sea (plastic regrind)

The issue of plastic waste is one that concerns all of us. Several months ago, I wrote about Pretty in Plastic’s use of regrind in creating sculptures. There certainly seem to be less toxic options out there, but cost and access remain obstacles. Can recycled plastic be used in the collectible/art toy industry?