Ch20. Unwrapping CMF Design on Sustainable Material Library

Founded by Plastics Industry Development Center (PIDC), Sustainable Material Library (SML) is a new library in Taichung 🇹🇼. Wait a minute…🤔 Plastic and sustainability? Why would a plastic organization invest in a material library focused in sustainability? (中文版)

CMF is a specific discipline within industrial design that focuses on the development of a product’s color, material, and finish. Unwrap CMF shares bite-sized stories of CMF Design to inform and inspire those interested in this niche yet fascinating field, with digestible contents for anyone and everyone.

The intent of plastic was not to destroy our environment. In the hope to reduce deforestation, a Swedish engineer, Sten Gustaf Thulin, invented the very first plastic bag in 1959, as an easy-to-carry and repeated-use solution, which sadly became an one-time disposable product.

Due to its low cost and manufacturing flexibility, plastic became one of the most widely used materials in the 21st century, as well as a major hit in the environment. Let’s be realistic: can we completely abandon the use of plastic? The answer does not need to be out-spoken 🙊

Since the breakup is impossible, we should be more proactive in pursuing its sustainable plan. “Problems caused by plastics should be solved by the plastic industry.” With this attitude, PIDC established Sustainable Material Library in late 2020. Of course, the collection is not limited to plastic samples, but also includes any materials with sustainable value.

The library is just one of the roles of SML. The team also continues to invest in innovative exploration of sustainable materials. Meanwhile, it also acts as a bridge to connect suppliers, manufacturers, brands, and designers. None of these is easy work. If you have learnt about the cost of opening a branch of world-renowned Material ConneXion or its membership fee, you’d get a sense of the huge investment required to maintain a high-quality library.

It’s really, really, really rare to have such a material platform in Taiwan. Let’s hope that the international border opens up very soon 🌍 And when it does, come visit SML in Taiwan!

Website: sml.pidc.org.tw
Facebook: Sustainable Material Library
Instagram: @smlpidc

Sustainable Materials Library just opened in December 2020, and has accumulated a good collection both online and offline.

Each material sample on display are marked with the name of the material, description, and a QR code linking to its web page.

Besides its material collection, SML also holds special exhibitions displaying design objects of various materials and craftsmanship.

“Marine Debris Is Not Waste” exhibition covers recycling process from marine waste, half-processed, and the finished products.

Enjoy learning? Use the CMF terminologies mentioned above and continue on with your own research journey on the web. Comments and inspirations are welcome!
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