PAPE - paper electronics

A cradle-to-cradle solution for small electronic devices, featuring a user-friendly end-of-life system.

This project is now archived and was part of DDW24

This project is part of
We design tomorrow

PAPE - a device that allows a look inside

Franziska Kerber

PAPE is a product family consisting of a WLAN router and a smoke detector, which is mainly made of densely compressed paper fibres and contains a soluble and recyclable PCB board. These products are designed to be cost-effective and user-friendly in a closed material loop.

Sustainable Electronics

In 2022, 62 million tons of electronic devices were produced worldwide, but only 22.3 percent were correctly collected as electronic waste. The remainder ended up in household trash, landfills, or was burned, resulting in the loss of valuable materials. Small electronic devices often go unnoticed in waste due to unclear disposal systems, highlighting the need for a more user-friendly end-of-life system. Advancements in sustainable printed circuit boards (PCBs) by various institutes and startups have led to a recycling method that dissolves PCB material to expose valuable components. PAPE extends this process to the entire product using paper pulp, which eliminates the need for mechanical disassembly. It also offers a user-friendly return option, ensuring efficient recycling and reuse of both electronic components and paper fibers, thus promoting a true circular economy.

Design Highlights

The product is delivered in an open form, with some of the technical components visible. Additionally, there is a way to store the packaging inside the device to ensure a controlled return option at the end of use. This well-thought-out design invites users to explore the inner components and develop an awareness of resource conservation. After use, the product can be disassembled again, similar to how it was delivered. Instead of disposing of it in the trash, customers have the option to return the product via mail in its original packaging, thereby closing the material loop.