Raphael Thys
Shellmet is the latest innovation from TBWA\Hakuhodo’s creative team and Osaka-based Koushi Chemical Industry Co.
A small village on the tip of Japan’s northernmost island Hokkaido may have found an innovative solution to managing a yearly pile of 40,000 tons of discarded scallop shells from the area’s seafood industry. Cleaned, pulverised, and mixed with recycled plastic, the shells are transformed into Shellstic (a portmanteau of shell and plastic), an environmentally friendly material that can be moulded and used in much the same way as regular plastics. Left on the ground, the shells are feared to cause soil contamination and are a big concern for the locals.
Recycling shells into plastic doesn't only help to reduce CO2 emissions as compared to producing 100 per cent new plastic, but also adds strength to the finished material.
Meet Shellmet: a sustainable product with minimal environmental burden
A first product using this novel material is the Shellmet (yes, another blend of shell and, this time, helmet) designed by TBWA\Hakuhodo’s creative team and Osaka-based Koushi Chemical Industry Co.
This cute hardhat and cycling helmet mimics the ribbed structure of the scallop shells, which adds about 30 per cent in strength to the overall structure compared to a more conventional flat design. The Shellmet comes in five colours, all related to the sea, Coral White, Sand Cream, Ocean Blue, Deep Black, and Sunset Pink. Shintaro Monden, the product designer of the helmet explains, 'We aimed to create a sustainable product with minimal burden on the environment.'
As well as hoping to entice the village’s 250 or so fishermen to swap their regular plastic helmets for the Shellmet, the producers plan to promote the Shellmet for use in emergencies such as earthquakes and abnormal weather, and will seek certification for the design as safety equipment. Sales to the general public will start in March 2023 at JPY4,800 (US$37).