Polyhide

Polyhide is a material I developed whilst investigating ways to re-appropriate waste plastic. I focused my energy on plastic bags as they are used for a matter of minuets before being deemed useless and thrown away. The The Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) that the bags are made from is not widely recycled in the UK, a fact most consumers are unaware of. They will throw the bags into their recycling bins, contaminating the load. By heat fusing layers of plastic bags together, I was able to create a material which is much more suitable to heavy ware, giving it the opportunity of a second life as an object of enhanced value. I began by making wallets and belts, before moving on larger objects such as the backpack. I also collaborated with London artist, Michael Wall, using the material to create large scale tapestries of his distinctive abstract forms.