Rationale
The Key Zester
Unlocking that citrus flavour has taken an all new eco friendly twist. The Key Zester is made from anodized aluminium keys which were on their way to landfill after being incorrectly cut at Bunnings Warehouse , along with plastic irrigation piping off cuts sourced from Green Life Landscaping.
Manufacturing The Key Zester began with sourcing the keys. Bunnings were more than happy to supply me with their miss cut keys as I was diverting them from landfill and as Bunnings strives to reduce their environmental impact. The keys were sourced from two stores and were a mix of steel and anodized aluminium. On average across NSW alone approximately 7000 keys are incorrectly cut and end up in landfill. Once the keys were sourced they were sorted into two groups, being the steel and aluminium. As the keys would be coming in contact with citric acid I undertook some tests which saw lemon and orange zest placed onto both steel and aluminium keys for 24 hours. After observing the keys, it was clear that the citric acid had had an affect on the steel keys and not the aluminium keys. This result concluded with the use of the coloured aluminium keys. the aluminium keys were considerably lighter than the steel keys which was a great advantage over the steel keys as weight was a major concern with the design.
A small hole was then drilled into the tip of each key. Using stainless steel wire, two different sized rings were formed and the smaller was threaded through the drilled holes in 28 keys. The irrigation pipe sourced from Green Life Landscaping was off cuts from multiple jobs. There was no use for this piping as the lengths were to small and previously had been thrown in the garbage, contributing to landfill. The piping was sterilised then cut into 10mm lengths then threaded onto the larger wire ring between each key. the piping acts as a spacer between the keys.
The steel keys which were not used in the manufacturing of this product can be crafted into a range of other products including coasters and candle holders.
Overall The Key Zester is an elegant sculpturally formed product which evokes a high level of sophistication and a highly perceived market value. This product has greatly reduced the amount of house keys which enter landfill each year and has minimal impact on the environment throughout the manufacturing process. The Key Zester is perfectly sized to fit the palm of the users hand making it easy to hold and use. As all of the materials used in this product are non corrosive and rust resistant it can be washed easily and is dishwasher safe. The Key Zester is an excellent example of how products which are essentially waste can be upcycled and crafted into objects of practical utility and sophisticated elegance.
I find the product very interesting cause i never knew that you could actually use keys to zest citrus fruits. I'm just concerned if the keys will have some sort of reaction like rusting or oxidising when in contact with acid. Other than that, I could possibly see it landing on the sheleves of department stores.
ReplyDeleteI think yours design is aesthetic, interesting and is very colourful. However, as far I know, these colourful keys are made from aluminum. Therefore, after long time of use, ages of these keys are going to wear and aluminum will be exposed to fruit acids. Yet, aluminum is toxic, therefore, I think, you should use other non-aluminum keys. Summing up, it is good work to convert unwanted to wanted.
ReplyDeleteUsing keys as the material for this product is very interesting, and makes the product unique. However, the colourful keys may not as elegant as the silver ones, and i'm a little concerned that acid in fruit will react with this metal product.
ReplyDeleteUsing the anodized aluminum keys make it look very appealing and a playful product although like the others i worry as to how long this product will last in your kitchen.
ReplyDeleteWho would have thought to use keys! Great material choice and what a way to use them. It's great, however how would it go in the real world when it comes to cleaning, rusting etc. The shape is something that is obviously taken into heavy consideration and that shows. Well done!
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