16 Nov 2021

New collaboration between Elisava and Girbau to reduce the impact of microplastics

Elisava and Girbau collaborate again

Students from Elisava’s Degree in Industrial Design Engineering and Degree in Design are collaborating in their Final Degree Projects (TFG)  in a new project to promote young talent and bring them closer to the professional world, participating in the development of real solutions for the industry.

The project is called FIX and it is an initiative designed to collect and treat the microplastics that are released during washing in industrial washing machines to reduce their impact on the environment.

With this new project, students will develop a waste collection solution, design materials from the recovered waste, and work on communicating the solution.

 

The FIX project reflects Elisava and Girbau’s commitment to the circular economy and is part of a second collaboration agreement between the two entities that was created with the aim of promoting the professional development of young students through projects that explore solutions with real scalability potential.

Second collaboration project with Elisava

This Elisava-Girbau collaboration is promoted by Girbau LAB, Girbau’s innovation platform, which together with students of Advanced Materials of the Degree in Industrial Design Engineering (GEDI) and of the Simultaneous Studies Program (PES) from the Elisava School of Design and Engineering, work in real projects.

The first project to be developed last year was Clint. Clint is the name of the new versatile, useful, and recyclable material created from the recovery of solid textile residue trapped in the filters of drying machines (lint) that ends up looking like cardboard, which has a high potential for applications in different areas.

Clint made it possible to convert waste, hitherto invisible, neglected and with an associated cost, into a resource with differential added value, scalable and sustainable

The Clint solution allows to transform a residue, until now invisible, neglected and with an associated cost, into a resource with added value.

 

Girbau’s commitment to collaborative innovation

Girbau is committed to innovative solutions with the aim of promoting the sustainable growth of its customers in the industrial laundry sector and beyond. The fundamental premise of the company is a technological improvement, pursuing energy efficiency at all times, and reducing water consumption and zero waste.

In terms of sustainability and circularity, its activity focuses on offering solutions for transforming the traditional industrial business towards circular solutions. For example, they reduce the environmental footprint of machines and lengthen their life cycle.

Collaborative initiatives like the ones we present allow us to explore new solutions with real applications and open new windows of opportunity for young talent.