Don’t Ban the Bottle Yet: 3D Print This Elegant Voss Storage System From Avooq

Like many others around the world who are aware of the dire problem with plastic water bottle trash, I am not a fan of purchasing my liquids in that form, and really prefer cold, clean tap water. To me, it seems a sad waste to pay a ridiculous fee for such a small amount of hydration that could be attained freely, and without aggravating the trash issue further.

We’ve all been subject to this dilemma though when on the road and struggling with unexpected thirst, causing us to reach into a cooler at a store for relief, giving in as our needs outweigh the guilt. Most of us have been duly shamed with the statistics that are in the backs of our minds as we glug glug greedily away trying not to remember how much energy is wasted each year, trash created, and health concerns revealed. While cutting back on this usage is certainly recommended, the bottles are here, and there are probably some in your home, car, and office. Although often forgotten, recycling is key.

Aussie company Avooq has a beautiful answer as to how you should go about that effort, targeting those Voss bottles you may have lying around, as they were simply too pretty to put in the trash or recycling bin just yet. Whether in their glass or plastic version,  Avooq’s WaveRack system offers a way for those recyclables to take on an elegant and permanent look on the countertop. (Caution: you may soon find yourself looking at your watch and wondering how soon you can run out and buy some Voss water, thirsty or not.)

“Designed for infinite expandability, your only restriction is your creativity and the available space to place them,” states the design team.

It seems almost too easy and elegant to be true, but with very few materials and a little effort, you can design your own system of classy containers, replacing the traditional boring looking canisters of the past. Avooq recommends a wide range of ideas for what you can put inside the upcycled bottles, from spaghetti (pasta always looks cool on the countertop whether you plan to actually cook it or not) to coffee, nuts, oils, or even art supplies.

The printable is easy to download directly from Avooq, and you can look forward to around two short hours of 3D printing with minimal supports required.

“The interlocking/pivoting design allows for flexible shapes and patterns and can be arranged to suit any positioning requirements you may be restricted to,” say the designers.

This really is a project that could expand into many other ideas. The flexible Waverack allows you to create numerous other shapes, and design your rack to fit around nuances in your kitchen or home, such as corners and other objects. You could use this anywhere, actually, that you might need to store items such as food, liquids, or dried goods. “Preserve. Store. Display. Expand. Upcycle,”  says Avooq. You can have fun putting this message to work, and then just wait for all of your friends to check out the results at your next get together. (Avooq also notes that the Voss logo can be easily removed with a scraper if you so desire.)

A small bespoke products and services company founded by Australian DIY designer Matthew William Keene, Avooq is a company we love to follow as they come up with fascinating ways to recycle everything from gaming consoles to wine bottles to CDs and much more. You can count on an artful mix of recycling, upcycling, and fairly simple 3D printing in their clever project offerings, as design and concern for the environment–as well as the aesthetics of your home–come together. Is this something you’d like to make? Discuss over in the 3D Printed Voss Bottle Storage System forum at 3DPB.com.