We created a vision exercise for Samsung, reflecting on the idea of repurposing the brand’s old devices or materials and transform them into new products or services that will have a positive impact on people and the planet. The European Commission report that the amount of waste electrical and electronic equipment, widely known as e-waste, generated every year is increasing rapidly. It is now one of the fastest growing waste streams. Currently, only about 30% of e-waste is sent to appropriate recycling facilities. Our research highlighted that by improving the collection, treatment, and recycling of electrical and electronic equipment at the end of their life, we can promote sustainable production and consumption while also increasing resource efficiency.

We designed Re-set as a series of tools for individuals and professionals, such as independent repair shops as well as recycling facilities. The aim of the project is to help repair electronic devices and improve the recycling process by disassembling e-waste into parts using hand held tools. The collected parts are then classified by material group and can be either replaced, reused or recycled into new products. The tools are made from discarded Samsung products and packaging, using simple transformation our thought is to re-create things using as little energy as possible; these include: gloves made from recycled plastic packaging, a sorting tray made from cut-out parts of Samsung Galaxy Book, a small plastic spatula made from an S-Pen, a mediator made from Samsung smartphone back covers, a pair of tweezers made from recycled aluminum, and screwdrivers made from circuit boards. The resulting aesthetic is quite unique to each Re-set tool.

photography © studio CPRV