I’ve come to expect the exhibitors at CES to largely ignore what’s needed in the world, opting instead for what’s eye popping or simply novel, and this year was no exception. That’s not to say every product was silly or wasteful. Along with teddy bears that suck your finger were solar panels, VOC detectors, and smart sprinklers.
But one entry belongs in a category of its own: a new line of switches, frames, and electrical sockets from Schneider Electric, made from recycled fishing nets collected along the coast of India. What I like especially about this new Merton product line is that instead of creating another whiz-bang gadget and expanding in a linear way that ends in waste and pollution, the company is bringing its existing offerings into a more circular economic model.
It’s a simple but important lesson for other companies looking to reduce their environmental impacts. Look first at the products you offer. Find ways to upgrade and enhance them to incorporate recycled or otherwise problematic waste materials. Then go back to market with a real green story to tell.
After a year spent in focus groups and writing about millennial homebuyers, their likes and dislikes, my gut tells me that they’ll respond very positively to a company that’s making this kind of effort. Perhaps now that Schneider Electric has shown that this kind of manufacturing model can work, other product makers will follow suit, and dive even deeper into all types of ocean plastic reuse.
How about some ocean-plastic window frames, or composite siding? What if decking manufacturers, already well-versed in plastic recycling, add sea trash to their cycle? By showing that such technology is possible, Merton products may start a much larger conversation in the production side of the building industry.
The recycled Merten line will be available in several countries in Europe. At present, the company has not announced when or if the recycled products will be available in the United States.