From the page: The plastic bag deserves a second life
Idea 6
Pressed plastic block
In many places around the world, artisans and cooperatives turn plastic bags into dense blocks using only heat and pressure — a technique known as fused repurposed plastic. It works because the bags are polyethylene, a plastic that softens at a low temperature (about 100 °C) and, when cooled under pressure, becomes a single, hard, homogeneous material.
What you need
- Clean, dry plastic bags (the more, the better)
- Clothes iron
- Parchment paper or silicone sheet
- Two boards or flat trays
- Heavy weight (books, a brick or paint cans) to press
- A ventilated space
How to make it
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1
Cut the bags, remove handles and fold the thicker parts, and leave everything clean and dry — any dirt or moisture shows up in the final block.
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2
Separate a stack of about 15 to 25 pieces and pile them between two sheets of parchment paper, which keep the plastic from sticking to the iron and the surface.
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3
Iron at medium temperature, no steam, pressing firmly across the whole surface — the heat softens the polyethylene and makes the layers fuse.
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4
Flip the "sandwich" and iron the other side, repeating until you see the layers become a single, uniform sheet.
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5
While still warm, place the sheet between the two boards and press with weight for 20 to 30 minutes — the pressure while cooling is what guarantees density and firmness.
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6
Unmold once cold and you'll have a hard block that can be sanded, drilled and cut.
Finishing touches
mix bags of different colors to create marbled effects, or use only white ones for a neutral-toned block. Each sheet comes out about 3 to 5 millimeters thick — perfect for becoming the base of other projects.
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