Italian City Implements 3D Printed Benches Made From Recycled Plastic

In recent years, more and more environmentally friendly projects are being developed in many countries all around the world. Similar to earlier successful projects, like for example the Netherlands-based Print your City, R3direct from Italy is now also starting to use additive manufacturing as an eco-friendly option to develop street furniture. By using plastic waste as their main material and with the help of modern technology, the company is now 3D printing benches. And the first example of this is already installed in the heart of Lucca, Italy. Called USE (Urban Safety Everyday), these benches are intended to show that technologies can make it possible to significantly reduce plastic waste by reusing the recycled material.

The material used to shape and produce the furniture originates from used and recycled Tetra Pak cartons. Though you may not have heard of these, you have almost certainly seen them. They are commonly known for being used as containers for milk or juice for everyday use. Every USE bench also features a QR code, from which the journey taken by the plastic used in the bench can be retraced. The interesting and unusual design of every bench is the work of Stefano Giovacchini, the co-founder of R3direct.

Photo Credits: R3direct

Recycled Plastic Benches

Noteworthy not just for its sustainable properties but also for its original and complex shape, the USE bench was designed using the benefits of additive manufacturing. While the company has not yet revealed the exact technology used for production, R3direct did state that no fewer than 3,300 Tetra Pak packages were needed to make the application. R3direct adds that, despite their unconventional shape, which probably doesn’t appeal to everyone, USE benches can be installed in all kinds of places, such as parks, gardens and of course in cities.