On October 17, the lobby of Universidad ORT Uruguay some twenty entrepreneurs who showcased their products and services promoting responsible consumption. This event is part of the activities organized by the university’s Environmental Management team, which has been working since 2017 on an environmental awareness campaign for students and staff under the hashtag #ORTrecicla.
The venue featured the exhibition “Con todas tus luces” (2018): lighting fixtures made from recycled materials, created by industrial design students.
Here is a look at some of the startups founded by current students or graduates of the school.
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Calmo - Slow & Conscious
It is a brand of clothing and home decor that is handmade, locally produced, and sustainable. Each piece is unique and crafted from high-quality materials using processes that minimize the use of chemicals in textile treatment, such as natural printing and dyeing.
The result is a collection of unique pieces that have a strong local identity yet stand out in their own right. “We’re striving to create a truly distinctive aesthetic,” said the program’s director, Alice Othegui, who holds a bachelor’s degree in fashion design.
This brand was created with the export market in mind; it is positioned in the luxury market due to its high added value: “the attention to every detail—from the selection of high-quality materials to the skilled craftsmanship and packaging—all of which make it a luxury product.”
"Sustainable luxury" is the value that millennials and Generation Z, in particular, are beginning to demand: greater transparency and a stronger commitment to social and environmental issues.
A few months after ORT’s Sustainable Expo, Alice Otegui—a 2018 fellow of the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI)— shared her experience during the #COVID-19 pandemic and how she adapted her startup during that time.
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HIFA Biomaterials
The project began about three years ago in the biotechnology labs while Felipe Machado was working on his thesis. He and his advisor watched a TED Talk that caught their attention: how to create biomaterials capable of replacing plastic and its derivatives using an edible fungus and lignocellulosic waste.
The idea took shape, and Gabriela da Rosa, who holds a master’s degree in biotechnology, and Guadalupe Sonneveld, who holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial design, joined the team.
Due to the fungus’s biological properties, it begins to form a mesh that eventually acts like glue. “Once it has finished binding and compacting the waste, we dry it. We can shape it exactly as the customer wants,” Machado explained.
The goal is to develop environmentally friendly, biodegradable materials that can replace plastics. This new material has several highly promising properties, including sound insulation, thermal insulation, and fire resistance, among others.
“We could also make a toy, for example, that we know has a lifespan of one year. When it’s thrown away, it breaks down and can be used as fertilizer,” explained the biotechnology engineer, who noted that, currently, there are only three companies worldwide that make this type of product, and none in Latin America.
They are currently in the technical validation phase, funded by ANII, and are reviewing the business concept.
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Southeast
Montevideo Shopping opened the doors to its storage facilities to repurpose materials that were destined for the trash. As part of the “Rediseña” contest, industrial designers Daniela Waldeck and Guadalupe Sonneveld came across a large number of tarps “from a month-long promotion; there were 10 identical tarps set aside for the trash.”
That is when Sudeste was founded, with the aim of creating products designed and manufactured from discarded advertising banners. The goal is to weave them into “a new story and space that gives them new value.”
The first collection they launched consists of products designed for the bathroom: baskets and storage containers made of washable material that can be cleaned with a cloth. They also plan to produce merchandise and corporate gifts. Before the end of the year, they will release backpacks, pencil cases, and handbags.
Several companies have already contacted the entrepreneurs to offer them micro-perforated vinyl—like the kind used to cover building facades—or PVC vinyl—the kind used for roll-up banners. “All of that is disposable; it’s not reusable,” she pointed out.
Looking ahead, Ms. Waldeck said they would like to work “with vulnerable individuals or older adults who already know how to knit or embroider—perhaps they can learn this technique.”
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EXeso / Contemporary Jewelry
Ximena Bentancor, who holds a bachelor's degree in graphic design, transforms recycled CDs, DVDs, and PET bottles into caravans, rings, and necklaces.
She combines these materials with 925 silver, creating each piece entirely by hand. “It’s a fairly lengthy process. In the case of the CDs for the caravans, I cut them, paint them, then file and polish them, and finally apply a varnish. The rings are made from small pieces of CDs and DVDs that I melt down and then join together. To make little flowers out of PET plastic, I cut it, heat it, and shape it right there on the spot.”
The result is unique, both in terms of the designer’s vision and how customers use the products. “Many of the pieces are interchangeable; for example, some caravans offer up to three different uses, so you’re also creating and adapting them to suit your needs.”
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Organi – Compostable packaging
This startup sells 100% compostable packaging for food and beverages. “These are plant-based containers that go through a composting process: they become compost, which becomes a plant, which becomes packaging, which becomes compost,” explained Micaela Chebi, one of the founders, who is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in communication.
Their goal is to promote a circular economy. The products are made from renewable plant-based materials with lower carbon emissions or from recycled materials, and they are internationally certified as compostable, meaning they can be recycled along with food waste and turn into compost within 12 weeks.
“Generally speaking, people think that paper cups are less harmful because the paper itself is compostable, but the lining is usually made of polyethylene, which is derived from petroleum. So when you pour a hot drink into one, you end up drinking that too, and on top of that, it can’t be composted or recycled,” Chebi explained.
Organi aims to promote a cultural shift by engaging companies, domestic producers, food establishments, distributors, and end consumers.
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ZIP
The ZIP coat rack was created as part of Montevideo Shopping’s “Rediseña” contest. When they arrived at the warehouse, industrial design students Julieta Adano and Florencia Fandiño found materials that were completely unused and for which no one knew what to do.
“We use wood from display stands—ring displays, necklace displays, and handbag displays—that had minor flaws and didn’t sell,” explained Fandiño, one of the organizers. “The truth is, we made very few changes to the materials we use, trying to avoid generating more waste.”
The idea is that it can be made again using other scraps of acrylic or wood, since it doesn't matter if the wood is a few centimeters longer or shorter, they pointed out.
instagram.com/percherozip -
Recycle or dye
Thomas Hughes—an industrial design student—has been skateboarding since he was very young. “I know a lot of people who skateboard, so I have access to a bunch of broken, used boards,” he said. “All the boards I work with are used; they’re no longer good for skateboarding.”
He explained that it is a very hard wood known as Canadian maple or Chinese maple. It is a wood with seven layers, each of which has a different color; “you can play around with those colors and create different combinations.”
He's using that wood to make beer tap handles.
For each handle, glue four pieces of wood together. Assemble a block or prism and work on it using the lathe. “The only thing that might happen is that, since the wood is reclaimed, some pieces have knots inside them; you might not notice them, and they could break in the middle of the process.”
The result is already on display at two Malafama brewery locations.
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I'm hitchhiking
The “Voy a dedo” platform is set to launch in late November; it aims to connect drivers who have empty seats in their cars.
The goal is to reduce the number of empty cars on the roads and to share the cost of the trip among everyone.
Initially, the service is designed for medium- and long-distance trips. Users will be able to filter their search—for example, if a woman wants to travel only with other women, or if pets are allowed.