Helsinki-based zero waste restaurant Nolla, Muoviamo, and TELMA students from Live Vocational College joined forces in a project that transforms restaurant waste plastic into new functional items for restaurant use.
Nolla is a restaurant founded on responsibility. Opened in 2018 in Helsinki by chefs Luka Balac, Albert Franch Sunyer, and Carlos Henriques, Nolla challenges the norms of the restaurant industry by inviting us to rethink how food is sourced, served, and how resources are valued. With a commitment to both environmental and social responsibility, Nolla creates systems that minimise impact and drive change – working closely with local producers, sharing knowledge openly, and denormalising waste by designing it out from the start. While this philosophy drastically reduces waste, some food-grade plastic has still accumulated over their years of operation, and now needs a responsible new purpose.
“We wanted to find a solution that aligns with our values and demonstrates tangibly how waste material can be transformed into something useful and beautiful,” says Albert from Restaurant Nolla.
A glimpse of Restaurant Nolla’s plastic waste collection, waiting to be recycled into new products. IMAGE: Muoviamo
Muoviamo took up the challenge by bringing their recycling expertise and involving TELMA students from Live Vocational College, Helsinki metropolitan area’s largest vocational special education institution. TELMA education prepares students for work and independent living, and in this project, the students participate in product design and plastic processing. One of Muoviamo’s missions is to create employment opportunities within circular economy for young people who face challenges in entering the workforce.
The project aims to demonstrate how plastic recycling and reuse can become a collaborative community effort where every participant’s contribution is valuable.
In this article series, you can follow the project step by step, from initial design workshops to the final product. We’ll take you through the creative process, including design workshops with TELMA students, plastic processing sessions with Nolla’s staff, and the development of prototypes.
Stay tuned to see how waste plastic transforms into a purposeful design object!
Read the second part of this article series here.