Prethe Murugan a designer with an architecture background from India, entered the field of product design by pursuing her master's at RCA with the objective of gaining a better understanding of the field and expanding her knowledge of design. The past year has given her a new perspective on product design. Interactive design, functionalism and materials with a focus on observation psychology and research analysis are of particular interest to her.
Prethe Murugan
The things I see are perceptive to me. It creates a sense of curiosity and suspicion. I design by observing and understanding which helps me to create a design with functionality. There is always an alternative to the current, which creates space for improvement. I look forward to experiencing more in the field of design and its psychology in the future. I believe that the more I understand the different aspects of design, the better I can create a design that meets the user's needs. I am excited to continue learning and exploring the possibilities of design and its impact on the end user.
Product
Digestible plastic is built true to its name by being edible, leaving low traces of microplastics as well as accepting the love-hate relationship between plastic and us. The objective is to develop a material focusing on the versatility of plastic and adding a value of its own. It is primarily composed of arrowroot powder and superfoods. The material is experimented with by creating different patterns, textures and forms. This material was not created with the goal to omit plastic but to enhance it and alter it for our environment. The inspiration for this perception of plastic is from the book "Plastic: A Toxic Love Story "by Susan Freinkel. Developing the formula from hard plastics to soft plastics was done to ensure that the material would remain versatile. The material will be put through more experimentation in the future for printing, vacuum forming, sewing etc.
Process
The process started with testing all the bioplastic formulations already in existence. The formula was altered in small steps to make it edible and superfood extractions and powders were added to enhance the nutritional value and enhance the palatable qualities of the material. It was modified to change the formula's texture from rigid plastic to soft plastic after it was deemed safe for humans to consume. Furthermore, the formula of the material is to be altered so that it can be formed in other forms and textures in the future.
