Recycled-plastic Penny skate, small-batch made in multiple colorways light, durable, and ride-ready.
B A I O Recycled-Plastic Penny Skate
Context: Sustainable Design Studio (academic)
Collaboration: Community workshop in Minas (recycling machinery & ovens)
Team: Nicole Proaño, Nicole Chacón
Timeline: 2 months
What
A compact skateboard designed and produced from recycled plastic, exploring a low-cost, small-batch path from material recovery to a rideable Penny-style deck through community-led manufacturing.
Why
Part of a Sustainable Design Studio focused on circularity: turning local plastic waste into durable, desirable products. The goal was quality and viability—proving that recycled material can become a market-ready object, not just a prototype.
How
Material sourcing and shredding; melt trials and distribution tests to tune stiffness; 3D design of the deck; metal mold design and technical drawings; mold fabrication; iterative press/cast trials adjusting material placement for structural performance; finishing and assembly into a rideable prototype.
{ Final Project Gallery }
Mold Design & Fabrication
Rotating showcases of Chimbacalle entrepreneurship and cultural exhibitions made by and for the neighborhood.
Mold & Material Testing
Heat/pressure trials to tune stiffness and impact resistance—adjusting material distribution to reinforce truck mounts and flex zones.
