As I develop more new materials with my crazy experiments with bioplastics. I started to think about possible applications of all the new materials that I created.
This recipe produces a material that looks like a flat condom and feels like a skin. Since natural latex is a unique biopolymer that cannot be substituted by synthetic alternatives in many of its most important applications, such as medical products, condoms, footwear or adhesives. What if I can use biopolymer created with this experiment as a replacement for this material?
http://news.bio-based.eu/europe-seeks-alternatives-to-natural-latex-from-asia/
So I started looking for any products that might have already existed out there in world. The only eco-friendly condom brand that I found is a company called Sustain Condoms.(https://www.sustainnatural.com/products/condoms)
Even though their product is eco-friendly, it is still made of natural latex which does not biodegrade.
Then I looked up condom pollutions and found this article, which confirmed my concerns about the environmental impact of condoms- a disposable product that we don’t normally think about its environmental impact after use. The wrapper is made of plastic or plastic lined foil which does not biodegrade.
“While you’re nailing being environmentally friendly in terms of food, travel, and plastic use, the environmental impact of your sex life likely isn’t on your radar.”
https://metro.co.uk/2018/06/05/world-environment-day-sex-life-wrecking-environment-7606561/
So far, the idea seems promising, so I looked into how condoms are made. I went on youtube and searched for how to made a condom?
Surprisingly, the first video is called how to make a condom at home. I clicked and of course it was a teenage boy who made a DIY condom with ziploc bag and a rubber band.
I thought it was so stupid but a related video caught my attention. A prostitute in Congo actually uses plastic bag as a condom.
I was so surprised. If this indeed worked for her, even though it might have been very uncomfortable, that means bioplastic could be a viable alternative for condom.
Then I found the ACTUAL video of manufactural process of condom on Youtube.
Glass molds are dipped in liquid latex three times to create the “skin” like product, then was washed, dried, oiled and packaged.
I also found an article talking about algae gel to combat HIV, which could be an alternative to the silicone based lube most condom manufacturer uses.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6266527.stm
So my next step is to research more in depth about the potential market for this product and prototyping with my material so it is more flexible and soft. Also I can use natural dye from vegetables and fruits to create color and flavor as this recipe tend to capture the color the dye and the smell of the dye I use.
(https://jablogz.com/2013/10/students-using-plastic-bags-instead-of-condoms/)
RCA Graduate diploma 2019 