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<\/p>\nSINGAPORE \u2013 If you like cute collectibles, but are hesitant about contributing to junk plastic waste, local start-up Unigons has a green concept: Merlion figurines made of recycled plastic bottles in 10 different colourways, all waving their left paws in the style of the Fortune Cat. <\/p>\n
For SG60, only 60 pieces of these Fortune Merlion figurines have been crafted. Priced at $118, each 3D-printed Merlion is packaged in a blind box and designed with a pedestal base that doubles as a hidden compartment. <\/p>\n
The compartment contains accessories for the Merlion, including six charms engraved with auspicious words in Chinese script, such as wealth and longevity. Any of these charms can be attached to the right paw of the Fortune Merlion.<\/p>\n
According to Unigons, each 18cm-tall Merlion required some 30 discarded PET plastic bottles as raw material, many donated by beverage giant Yeo Hiap Seng (Yeo\u2019s).\u00a0<\/p>\n
Unigons co-founder Joe Chua, who designed the collectibles, says that PET is among the few plastics that can be recycled into filaments for 3D-printing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe used more than 50 3D printers across Singapore and Vietnam for this project, and worked with PlasticTinkers, a local 3D printing start-up,\u201d says Mr Chua, 50.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The first critical step was separating the PET waste from PP, PVC and other plastics, after which the PET waste was then thoroughly cleaned and dried.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe added colourants to create custom hues before melting and extruding the plastic into filament suitable for 3D printing. It\u2019s not the fastest or cheapest route, but it\u2019s the most meaningful one.\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt adds to the story of each piece.\u201d <\/p>\n
Unigons was founded in 2017, with the intent of developing creative technology that prioritises sustainability. The company\u2019s early projects include an eco-friendly hand-sanitiser refill dispenser, launched in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
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Unigons co-founder Joe Chua with some of the 3D-printed Fortune Merlions made of recycled plastic bottles.<\/p>\n
PHOTOS: UNIGONS<\/p>\n
In the last two to three years, Mr Chua noticed during his travels that European brands had begun to embrace the concept of circular economy in production. He also observed the concurrent boom of blind boxes and collectible toys in Singapore.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought: What if we designed collectibles using recycled PET? With the right design and branding, we could increase the value of recycled plastic from 80 cents to over $50 a kilogram, and in doing so, create a new kind of demand for local recycled material,\u201d he says.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Despite their potential, 3D-printed collectibles \u2013 much less those made from recycled plastic \u2013 have yet to take off, Mr Chua acknowledges.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany discerning collectors tend to shy away from 3D-printed pieces, often associating them with rough, unfinished surfaces and low-quality output,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
But recent innovations in recycling technology have helped to narrow the gap in the quality between recycled and virgin plastic.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re seeing recycled PET being used to create smoother, more durable and more detailed products, opening the door for plastic waste to be transformed into high-value, collectible items that people cherish rather than discard,\u201d says Mr Chua.<\/p>\n
Some 25 pieces of the Fortune Merlions were printed first, and sold out quickly in an initial \u201cearly bird\u201d drop in mid-June.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mr Chua says that batch was a testing of the waters. \u201cWe were a little nervous. It was only after the success of this first drop that we went ahead with the remaining 35 pieces.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Each Fortune Merlion comes with a pedestal base that also stores accessories for the collectible.<\/p>\n
PHOTO: UNIGONS<\/p>\n
The second drop will be launched at Blaxk by ActionCity in Funan Mall on July 25.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe beauty of 3D printing is that it gives us this freedom to produce on-demand and avoid waste,\u201d says Mr Chua.<\/p>\n
After this first batch of 60 for SG60, Mr Chua anticipates new and different Fortune Merlion designs in the future, with unique twists. \u201cMaybe a kaya-toast Merlion or one bearing a pair of wings to soar,\u201d he suggests. \u00a0<\/p>\n