About the Project
SS Net Re-use was an exciting project, supported by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM). Throughout a 10-month program, we worked with local communities to re-imagine a new story for offcuts of manufactured nets and life cycle analysis of nets.
The Net Re Use project was run by a multidisciplinary team including marine biologists, Engineers, Artists and Designers, fishermen, and sailors.
As fishing nets are manufactured there are offcuts that are not used and often end up in the landfill. What is possible for these offcuts? Synthetic fishing nets deteriorate but don’t rot. When accidentally lost as part of fishing operations they can cause a real problem for fishermen and the ocean and its residents alike. Disposing of these nets responsibly by traditional methods such as landfill is costly and not without its environmental impact. While these nets may no longer be fit for the purpose of catching fish they may have many alternative uses.
This research used a circular economy approach and a community co-design methodology to explore the opportunities for net re use in the areas of artisan craft work.
For more info you can download the final project report below or email the team via the get in touch button.
-Funded by BIM, Completed in July 2019
Understanding what is possible – Hosting Design thinking innovation exploratoriums to develop new ideas and deconstruct existing ideas for prototype exploration.
Solutions to the challenging problem of marine plastic waste could equally be found in the creative imagination of a 12-year-old child or the vast experience of an 80-year-old.
Using design-thinking, the project will develop 4 prototypes of products that create value in net offcuts, old nets, and marine plastic waste. These can be evaluated for market readiness, and then explored for production and distribution by local micro-businesses. The project team, from CoDesRes and Sea Synergy, collectively bring together over 121 years of experience to work with local residents’ expertise, in a collaborative, co-design process. However, solutions to the challenging problem of marine plastic waste could equally be found in the creative imagination of a 12-year-old child or the vast experience of an 80-year-old: we look forward to engaging and working with you all to create and design sustainable products that will actively reduce the plastic footprint of our communities.
