Music and sustainability collective Evolution Music used an existing record press machine to design a bioplastic 12-inch vinyl. Featuring the artist’s Beatie Wolfe and Michael Stipe tracks.
Acclaimed by Evolution Music as the world’s first commercially available bioplastic 12-inch vinyl, this product is made from a specially engineered bioplastic instead of traditional carbon-intensive PVC.
The bioplastic 12 inch vinyl looks and acts like standard vinyl and consists of a black disc with a graphic design in the middle.
Manufactured using existing record pressing machinery and manufacturing processes.
Its A-side features the track Future, If Future by American musician Stipe, while the B-side lets you play Oh My Heart by British-American artist Wolfe.
The bioplastic 12-inch vinyl creator says he was inspired to design the material and product himself after struggling to find a “sustainable solution for physical media.”
Evolution Music CEO Marc Carey told Dezeen:
To create this bioplastic, Carey said, a four-year development process took place to identify a base polymer that works like traditional PVC without producing harmful substances.
After this, the team sourced bio-organic fillers and co-created a solid additive used in plastics called a bio-masterbatch.
The aim of Evolution Music was “to create authentic, truly sustainable and ecologically sound biopolymers,” explains Carey.
“We never developed a traditional plastic vinyl. I think we should ask the PVC manufacturers why they didn’t. [create bioplastic vinyl],” He said.
The bioplastic 12-inch vinyl initially sold 500 copies when it was released earlier this year, with proceeds going to the charity EarthPercent.
Founded by musician Brian Eno, EarthPercent encourages artists to donate a portion of their earnings to charity, with the proceeds going to organizations working to fight climate change.
The bioplastic 12-inch vinyl release is part of EarthPercent’s Bandcamp project with over 100 tracks from artists like Hot Chip, Peter Gabriel, Nile Rogers and more.
“It took three passionate, independent music lovers from the UK to develop this product out of necessity,” concludes Carey.
“The fact that the ‘big’ companies didn’t do this in the first place raises interesting questions about the gasoline, chemical, oil and plastics industries…just say it!”
Other recent bioplastic designs include plastic wrap replacements made from discarded potato skins and polystyrene replacements made from plastic-eating mealworms.
Image courtesy of Evolution Music.
