This week is all about finilising and making the first bioplastic clothing bags.
I made a lot of progress this week, so I'll divide this week in a few subjects.
My main focus is the Agar recipe.
For this project I wanted to test a lot of recipes.In the first weeks of the project I was mainly
working with small and different plates, which resulted in having a lot of sheets in all different sizes and most of them were to small for a good bioplastic packaging clothing bag.
So I needed to step up my game and try to
produce bigger sheets. With bigger sheets I could make real packaging bags. So I tried to make my own molds with clay, but that didn’t work. It was such a shame that we couldn’t use the Makers Lab provided by our school AUAS during the Corona crisis. Because I would have made a mold with the 3D printer or the Laser cutter if we were allowed to go to school. But I had to do it with the equipment and space in my kitchen.
After a few weeks I got a tip from one of my classmates, which said that Ikea still had large glass plates available, so I ordered one myself. I ordered a NORDLI glass plate which is 120 cm by 47 cm. With this glass plate I was finally able to make bigger sheets and try to make real
bio plastic packaging clothing bags!
After this reframing moment I was able to test the best recipes on a bigger scale. When the first big sheets were ready I made my first
bioplastic clothing bag by ironing two sheets of bioplastic together. The Agar Agar recipe works great if you want to iron it together. With these steps I finally could bring my project to the next level and develop Agar Agar bio plastic packaging clothing bags.
Production option 1 Ironing
1. Cook the bioplastic recipe at no more than 80 degrees, 30 minutes per liter.
2. Pour a layer of the hot liquid on a flat surface and try to spread it equally.
3. You wait for 5 to 7 days until the sheet gets dry and strong.
4. You carefully cut the sheets out in a size of one bag layer. Make it easy for you to transport the sheet.
5. Cut out another sheet in the same size.
6. Prepare your iron and make sure you have some baking paper as under ground.
7. Cut a sheet of baking paper in a smal les size than your bioplastic sheets. This is the surface that won’t melt. Don’t forget to add a little on the
opening of the bag so the bag is
openable.
8. Place your first bio plastic sheet on the iron table.
9. Place the cut out baking paper on the first bio plastic sheet. Make sure the edges are not covered with baking paper.
10. Place the second bioplastic sheet on the first layer and the baking paper. Make sure everything lays perfectly.
11. Lay another layer of baking paper under your iron, instead of a towel and iron the edges of the bag.
12. Make sure that the edges are melted on eacht other.
13. Let the bag dry for one day.
14. If you won’t use the bag immediatly
I should change the baking paper in the bag for normal paper and let it dry for one or two days, so the bag won’t become extra moisture.
If you as a company would love to produce more of the Agar bioplastic packaging bags you can follow these production steps:
Tips:
- Make sure you can make big sheets on a flat and smooth surface, like glass or plexiglass.
- I have tested the recipe till 2 liters and the outcome stays the same
- Don’t let your sheets become too thin, you won’t be able to get the sheet of the glass easily.
Production option 1 Double layer
1. Cook the bioplastic recipe at no more than 80 degrees, 30 minutes per liter.
2. Pour a first layer of the hot liquid on a flat surface and spread it equally.
3. Cut a slice of bio baking paper in a size you prefer. Don’t forget to add a little on the opening of the bag so the bag is openable.
4. When the first layer of liquid is a little dried up (After 10/15 minutes) you put the slices of baking paper on the first layer. Press it a little.
5. Pour the second layer of hot liquid with the same recipe over the first layer and the ba king paper. Make sure that the baking paper is covered. Don’t worry if it will be too thick, it will shrink a little.
6. Let it dry for 4 till 7 days.
7. Cut out the bags and make sure you don’t cut to close to the baking paper.
8. Let it dry for 1 or 2 more days, just to make sure the bag is fully dried.
9. Now your bag is finished. And ready for the challenges ahead.
Help the Earth a little by giving your received bag to the Earth. Composting is a simple way to do that. With composting you add nutrient-rich humus to your lawn or garden that fuels plant growth and restores vitality to depleted soil. It’s also free, easy to make, and good for the environment.
How to composte the Agar bioplastic bags?
Steps written by:
Cowan, S. (z.d.). Composting. Geraadpleegd op 17 juli 2020, van https://learn.eartheasy.com/guides/composting/
The steps:
1. Start your compost pile on bare earth. This allows worms and other beneficial organisms to aerate the compost and be transported to your garden beds.
2. Lay twigs or straw first, a few inches deep. This aids drainage and helps aerate the pile.
3. Add compost materials in layers, alternating moist and dry. Moist ingredients are food scraps, tea bags, seaweed, etc. Dry materials are straw, leaves, sawdust pellets and wood ashes. If you have wood ashes, sprinkle in thin layers, or they will clump together and be slow to break down.
4. Add manure, green manure (clover, buckwheat, wheatgrass, grass clippings) or any nitrogen source. This activates the compost pile and speeds the process along.
5. Keep compost moist. Water occasionally, or let rain do the job.
6. Cover with anything you have – wood, plastic sheeting, carpet scraps. Covering helps retain moisture and heat, two essentials for compost. Covering also prevents the compost from being over-watered by rain. The compost should be moist, but not soaked and sodden.
7. Turn. Every few weeks give the pile a quick turn with a pitchfork or shovel. This aerates the pile. Oxygen is required for the process to work, and turning “adds” oxygen. You can skip this step if you have a ready supply of coarse material like straw. Once you’ve established your compost pile, add new materials by mixing them in, rather than by adding them in layers. Mixing, or turning, the compost pile is key to aerating the composting materials and speeding the process to completion.
If you want to buy a composter, rather than build your own compost pile, you may consider a buying a rotating compost tumbler which makes it easy to mix the compost regularly.
