Summary

The product was created based on the idea of biomimicry and the helmet is advertised to be at least 33% stronger than an average helmet. Koushi is a long-established manufacturer of plastic products that was founded in 1969. Together with Professor Hiroshi Uyama from Osaka University, they began developing a new material based on scallop shells, whose main component is calcium carbonate, and recycled plastic. With the support of Sarufutsu Village, which has provided its excess shells, they developed “Shellstic”, a new recycled material that is comprised of roughly 20-50% each of scallop shells and waste plastic. The product is meant to be used over and over again, the product can easily be destroyed to create more Shellmets. (Source)

Story

This product is a result of collaboration between Sarufutsu Village, which is one of Japan’s leading producers of scallops and Koushi Chemical, which developed a way to process the leftover shells into a material called “karastic” or “Shellstic. The material was then handed over to design studio Quantum that created the helmet inspired by the rib\ structure of a shell. TBWA HAKUHODO was also a collaborator on this project.

Pic Credit: Quantum (right) and Yanko Design (top)