Waste Plastic Transformed into Artistic Wall Clocks... Pukyong National University Students Launch Startup with Upcycled Products

'The one and only artistic wall clock in the world' product image.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hwang Du-yeol] Students at Pukyong National University challenged themselves to start a business with the idea of recycling filament waste generated from 3D printers.

Recently, Park Jae-beom, a third-year student majoring in Electronic Engineering, and Yang Ho-yeol, a fourth-year student majoring in Resource Biology, from the startup club PLOCK (Plastic + Clock) under the Startup Support Group at Pukyong National University, launched a startup with upcycled products.

The product is a "one-of-a-kind artistic wall clock" made by melting leftover filament plastic waste used in 3D printers.

The students focused on the fact that 3D printer filaments are made from biodegradable plastic PLA (Poly Lactic Acid), which can be recycled, but most of it is discarded as general waste, and started producing startup items with an upcycling concept.

They visited places using 3D printers such as universities in the Busan area including Pukyong National University, makerspaces, and individuals to collect PLA plastic discarded after printing.

After sorting the collected PLA plastic pieces by color and washing them, they melted and pressed them with a self-made press, creating colorful wall clocks that highlight the texture and color of the plastic itself.

Park Jae-beom said, "At first, we tried making chairs, flowerpots, and stools instead of clocks, but after market research, we realized that the product itself must be attractive to be chosen by consumers and to realize the meaning of upcycling, so we decided on wall clocks as the final item."

Yang Ho-yeol said, "All the wall clocks are handmade, so each has different colors and shapes," and added, "We expect to attract enough interest from consumers who like unique items and are interested in interior design."

The students plan not only to produce the products but also to officially unveil them on the online funding site Wadiz on the 26th, and register as a business entity to start full-scale entrepreneurial activities.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.