“Lamp”

Recycle Print Waste Project

The project began with a key question: how can creatives take responsibility for the waste they generate, particularly in studio or community-based print environments?

“Lamp” is a sustainable design project that seeks to reclaim and repurpose design-related waste in a simple, accessible way. Set within the context of small-scale, local printing, the project explores how discarded materials can be transformed into meaningful and functional objects through basic tools and thoughtful design thinking. At its core, Lamp is both a product and a statement—it invites us to rethink what we throw away, to recognise the value of overlooked materials, and to explore how design can intervene in subtle yet effective ways.

In “Lamp”, I embraced a low-tech, highly accessible approach, making the project easy to replicate and adaptable to different local contexts. By deliberately avoiding complex manufacturing processes, the design demonstrates how simple tools and readily available materials can be combined to create objects that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. The production process is straightforward yet thoughtful, proving that effective design doesn’t necessarily depend on advanced technologies or intricate systems—it relies on creative thinking.

The project is rooted in principles of circular design. It repurposes discarded materials—such as used RISO ink cartridges, acrylic offcuts, and organic waste like coffee grounds, seaweed, and cardboard. Instead of following the conventional model of recycling, which often involves breaking materials down and reprocessing them, I chose to retain as much of the original design and material integrity as possible, or simply reduce the number of items being discarded. Each component is selected with environmental impact in mind, prioritising reusable, recyclable, and biodegradable materials.

The lamp is designed with minimal intervention, encouraging creatives to work with what already exists rather than generating new waste in the name of sustainability.“Lamp” combines material reuse with a tribute to overlooked fragments of design, offering a distinct perspective on sustainable creativity. The use of RISO ink cartridges as lampshades is both unconventional and symbolic—transforming a typically hidden piece of waste into the focal point of a functional object.

Though modest in scale, the project presents a fresh vision of what sustainable design can be: playful, context-sensitive, and grounded in a deep respect for existing materials and the stories they carry.