SKRÄp

A Corrugate Trash Can

In a sponsored semester studio with Pratt Industries, each member of my studio was tasked with locating a problem in industry, home or work settings that could be fixed using the company’s resources.

Plastic bags are known for their negative environmental effects, yet they are still large parts of our daily lives.

In looking for solutions for this, I found that only 50% of recycled goods are actually recycled. A better way to make a difference is to focus on reducing and reusing. Reusing the bags as small trash bags is a popular solution, but most trash cans do not support this, and often lead to more mess.

The bag often slips into the can and defeats its own purpose. I decided to focus on this issue and looked into different shapes and handle layouts that would best hold a plastic bag.

Through many iterations, I settled on a hexagonal shape that contacted the bag in more places and was more aesthetically pleasing. It was important to design a base that was secure, but reduced the overall footprint of the design.

The handles add extra support for holding the bag in place and make the can easy to transport and dump.