The irony of plastic in the ocean is often framed as a tragedy of permanence—a material that refuses to disappear, instead breaking down into a mimicry of the ecosystems it displaces. A new collaborative project, titled \"Rushera,\" seeks to reframe this relationship. Developed by design studio Object with Name and material manufacturer Plastic Bakery, the collection consists of sculptural accessories that borrow their visual language from coral and marine organisms, crafted entirely from 100% recycled plastic.
The fabrication process is an exercise in controlled chaos. Rather than striving for the uniform finish typical of industrial plastics, the designers manipulate melting, casting, and molding techniques to highlight the material’s inherent inconsistencies. By varying temperature and pressure during the cooling phase, they generate layered textures and irregular geometries. These unpredictable patterns are treated not as defects, but as the defining characteristics of the work, mirroring the organic growth of the reefs they resemble.
Rushera functions as both a material study and a narrative commentary on the lifecycle of synthetic waste. By elevating discarded polymers into high-design objects, the project investigates how industrial debris might be reabsorbed into a new kind of naturalism. It suggests that the future of sustainable design lies in embracing the physical properties of waste, turning the stubborn durability of plastic into a medium for sculptural expression.
With reporting from Designboom.
Source · Designboom
