BioCycle is a plantable writing utensil that we designed to make writing fun and educational for kids. The key components of the pencil are soil, seeds, and pebbles. During use, the pencil will be worn down until only the top third (with the point) remains; at this time, you can plant it in the soil to grow flowers or vegetables!
The idea came from our experience as product designers, working mainly with clients who produce consumer goods that often end up becoming waste. We knew about sustainable practices like recycling and up-cycling but felt that they didn’t go far enough – after all, what’s really being recycled is just raw materials stripped of their previous purpose. Inspired by environmental pioneers like Rachel Carson and EO Wilson, we began to think about how products could be designed from the beginning with a focus on sustainability. That’s when we came up with BioCycle Hong Kong, a writing utensil that fully circles back into a new product after being used up.
Background Knowledge:
– BioCycle is a plantable pencil that helps reduce landfill waste
– The pencil has soil, seeds, and pebbles inside it
– When the pencil gets worn down until only the top third (with the point) is left, you can break off this piece and remove it from the rest of the pencil by pulling them apart
– Plant the pencil in the soil to grow flowers or vegetables!
Why do you think the BioCycle writing utensil was designed this way?
It was designed this way to make writing fun and educational for kids. The components inside the pencil help reduce landfill waste and bed bug removal by giving them a tool that creates something new when they’re done using it. It comes with soil, seeds, and pebbles, which will look cute in a garden or flower pot once planted. Once the pencil is completely used up, children can break off the top third from the rest of the pencil and remove it from there. All they have to do is plant it in soil and grow flowers or vegetables! This also teaches children how their planting makes a difference in helping our planet become cleaner.