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Checkerspot® Pollinator Kit™ 



An award winning sampling kit and direct-to-consumer platform showcasing Checkerspot’s algae-based polyurethane.

2023

Client 

Project

Team



Type

Outcomes Checkerspot ®

Pollinator Kit ™

Mitch Heinrich of What For Design (Industrial Design Lead)
Julian Goldman. Dierdre Shea of Fun Stuff Design (Industrial Design, Creative Direction)
Rory Smith (Graphic Design)

Commercial, Novel Sustainable Material, Product Design

2023 SXSW Innovation Award
2023 Core77 Sustainable Design Award
Project Services




  • Strategy
  • Product Design
  • Packaging Design
  • Product Development
  • Production Support
Project summary
Born from the conviction that designers, artists, hobbyists, and product developers will be the change-agents for widespread adoption of renewable materials, the Pollinator Kit is designed to provide makers and designers with access to Checkerspot's biobased Cast Polyurethane System. Previously only available to manufacturers, this sampling kit opens the door for creatives of all experience levels to use this algae-based material in prototyping-scale quantities.
Background
Checkerspot® is a biomaterials company  focused on developing high-performance fats and oils athat ren’t easily or sustainably sourced from nature,  using precision fermentation to bring innovative solutions to market.  Developers of the first publicly accessible, bio-based polyurethane plastic, their materials have been featured in consumer-facing sporting equipment, skincare, and cooking oils.
StudyPolyurethane systems come in 2-parts, meant to be mixed and catalyzed into a durable petroleum-based plastic. Checkerspot has been disrupting this industry since 2016 with their Algal Cast Polyurethane System, made with fermented algae. 

Biomaterials are often inaccessible to the public, siloed into exclusive brand collaborations for a variety of reasons. But what happens when we put commercially viable biomaterials in the hands of entrepreneurs, designers, and innovators? Can we accelerate accessibility to the future of sustainable materials?