At the time of conducting this experiment it had been over a year of 3D printing for Josh. However he began to notice the significant build-up of waste plastic, mainly leftover PLA filament from prototypes, support structures, and failed prints. Rather than discarding this material, he saw an opportunity to explore its potential for reuse.

Polylactic Acid (PLA), the most commonly used 3D printing plastic, has excellent remoulding properties. With this in mind, Josh began experimenting with a heat gun as a simple, accessible tool to transform waste into something new. By heating the material to around 200°C, he could soften and reshape the plastic into new forms, unlocking new aesthetic and functional possibilities.

Through these experiments, Josh not only has reduced waste but also unlocked new aesthetic and texture opportunities to potentially be used in future design work.