Three Years of Research: What Have We Learned About 3D Printing with Recycled Plastics?

In the historic church in Lišany near Rakovník, we created the “Glimmers” light installation from recycled PLA using robotic 3D printing. The project combines contemporary design, circular materials, modern technology, and traditional Czech craftsmanship, demonstrating that even a historic space can sensitively incorporate contemporary architecture. Glimmers is also aiming for a spot in the Guinness World Records.

At the Social Design Days conference in Tbilisi, Georgia, we presented not only our products made from recycled plastics, but above all the way in which we connect materials research, universities, students, and industry partners. The discussions showed that the Czech model of circular design can serve as an inspiration abroad as well, paving the way for new international collaborations.

Why at Plastenco We Start with the Waste Stream and Not with Recycled Material. When Plastic Waste Is the Beginning of a Product, Not Its End On paper, “recycled plastic” seems simple. The material is processed, recycled plastic is produced, and a new product is made from it. In practice, however, working with plastics in a circular economy is much more complex, especially when the goal is to create a high-quality design or architectural product. That’s why at Plastenco, we think about recycling a little differently. We don’t start by asking what recycled material to buy. We start with waste.

At Designblok 2025, we presented ourselves for the first time as Plastenco Studio and with an installation that was a major step for us. REFLECTIONS is a collection of modular objects and lights created using robotic 3D printing from virgin material and waste plastic from Prusa Polymers.

Why? Because we follow the trends in Europe. What aspects do we consider important? We have selected 4 key areas for you.

In the middle of May 2025, a festival of architecture and design took place in Ostrava. The prestigious international conference PULSE Architecture & Design took place in the industrial space GONG, which this year had the eloquent theme RESTART. The main stage hosted over 40 speakers - among them stars such as Eva Jiřičná, Patrick Norguet and Otto Ng (LAAB Architects). One of the highlights of the programme was the lecture by Winy Maas (MVRDV), which defied time limits and the moderation of Daniel Stach. And rightly so - his call to "Celebrate difference. Be even bolder. Always ask: What's next?" resonated through the space long after the lights went down.

Petr Bláha - ambassador, popularizer of 3D printing together with Plastenco and master in his field, who was at the birth of the printing community in the Czech Republic. He has many activities to his credit, thanks to which this topic has gained a space for visibility and improvement in our country.

I didn't leave the school, the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University, after I graduated. My goal was to stir up my surroundings. After all, students cannot leave school without addressing the world's problems. They should feel that they are saving the world with what they have learned in school. I began to address the world's plastic disaster from my position as an educator. This role has offered me many helpers each semester.

I wanted PET bottles to be used to build houses. I really tried it and made my poor students try it too. In my book The PET Bottle Architecture Phenomenon, I collected examples of buildings from all over the world. Yes, it can be done. But honestly, building houses out of PET bottles is the music of the past, a matter of fine art and the architecture of less technically advanced cultures. Today, our civilization can process these bottles. Their life is mostly short: only 2 months on average. Then, by recycling them into plastic fibre, they become everyday objects: carpets and car mats, cordage and non-woven fabrics, sleeping bags, sweatshirts, jackets, nappies. The material is reworked and its original form is not found in man-made fibre products.

How does Plastenco further engage in the field of 3D printing from recycled plastic? We would like to introduce you to our ambitious PlastIT project, with which we were awarded 5th place in the public competition of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Programme for Support of Applied Research and Experimental Development - TREND, organized by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic. PlastIT is a revolutionary combination of 3D printing technology, artificial intelligence and ecological design with the aim of transforming the way we look at the use of plastic waste.

Design largely influences the potential level of environmental impacts of products (literature suggests that up to 80% of impacts are predetermined at the design stage)[1]. At Plastenco, we are fully aware of the responsibility we bear and therefore strive to optimize all our processes to minimize our environmental impact. However, we are also not indifferent to the economic and social pillars of sustainability; in our projects we strive to create stories and connect the community. This article will give you an insight into how we approach sustainability and what steps we take to meet the ESG expectations of our clients and partners.

Recently, our team had the opportunity to participate in the eCAADe conference held in Cyprus within the Faculty of Architecture of CTU. Our co-founder Ing. arch. Kateřina Sýsovou, PhD together with the team of Ing. arch Ondra Cigánik and MgA Daniel Svitak, discussed the latest trends in 3D printing. The conference provided valuable information on biodegradable materials, new printing techniques and innovations that have the potential to change the approach to design and manufacturing.

Environmental responsibility is increasingly becoming a key priority. At Plastenco, we are looking for new ways to combine aesthetics with ecological principles. One such approach that is increasingly resonating in design is the circular economy. As ambassadors of this approach, its promotion and implementation in practice plays an important role for us.

Often seen as one of the biggest environmental problems of our time, plastics can also be a source of innovation and new products. The journey from the first experiments with recycling PET bottles to the production of advanced filaments for 3D printing shows that with determination and technological advances, plastic waste can be turned into a valuable material with a wide range of uses. We present one path, or rather a winding path, of the development of plastic recycling by architecture students in the Czech Republic and the steps that led to the creation of our products that reduce the carbon footprint thanks to recycled input material.

When you say "trend", most of us think of a fashionable colour, a piece of clothing, a new material or another temporary boom. But we don't see trends as seasonal recommendations of colours or shapes. They are an indicator of social, technological and cultural change. They help us understand how people's needs, the function of space and expectations of design are changing.

On 19 March, the Design of the Future conference was held in Hradec Králové, organized by the Centre for Investment, Development and Innovation (CIRI).The topic was the role of design in responsible business, the circular economy and concrete examples of sustainability in corporate practice.