Recycling can be fun, though! 3D printing is guilty of generating literal tons of plastic, but the industry has also come up with some really creative ways to reuse not only our damaged or useless prints but other trash as well. Just a few weeks ago we wrote about a new startup called Superior Filament, created by a group of students at Michigan Technological University. The young company began producing their own 3D printer filament last year, using recycled bottles and other plastics to generate new material. They’ve attracted a good deal of interest – and capital – from startup competitions, but they’re now ready to expand into a full-fledged company.
Most rewards are estimated to ship around December of 2016. Superior Filament is also taking regular pre-orders for their filaments (and offering free samples) on their website. All spools of filament come with a 3D printed filter to keep dust and other contaminants out of your printer, and are shipped in eco-friendly bags filled with dessicant made from repurposed drywall. Currently, only three types of filament are available: regular PLA, recycled ABS made from items such as plastic silverware and Legos, and recycled PET made from plastic water bottles. Soon, though, Superior Filament will be offering recycled PLA as well as a recycled HDPE made from plastic milk jugs.
Superior Filament also wants to help you recycle. No matter how skilled we are with 3D printing, most of us have piles of failed prints lying around. Pack those messes up in a box, send them to Superior Filament, and they’ll give you a credit towards your next order. Every little bit helps – according to the company, only about 25% of plastic is currently recycled, and what isn’t recycled ends up harming wildlife and, by extension, us (such as when we eat fish that have ingested tiny bits of plastic). Every spool of recycled PET, states the company, keeps 120 plastic bottles out of the oceans – plus, for every spool of filament sold, Superior Filament will donate $1 to the Ocean Cleanup Project. Learn more about their mission of “changing the world, one spool at a time” in the video below. Are you backing the campaign? Discuss further over in the Superior 3D Filament on Indiegogo forum at 3DPB.com.