The project utilizes food by-products such as shrimp shells, eggshells, and fruit peels as eco-friendly biomaterials for research and development. It investigates the potential of using these biomaterials in product design as alternatives to industrial pollutants, exploring how waste can contribute to creating a more sustainable lifestyle.

Based on the properties of the new material, I chose apply it to the traditional toy sector—a field facing significant environmental and children's health challenges. I designed a set of toys aimed at fostering various abilities and promoting food nutrition education for children aged 3-6, using 100% biodegradable materials. The toys include a series of biodegradable building blocks and interactive guidebooks, intended to explore more ecologically sustainable and educationally meaningful children's toys, addressing contemporary challenges related to children's health and environmental issues.

Background and Research

The potential of urban waste and discarded food by-products is immense, yet globally, less than 2% of organic waste is effectively utilized. Most valuable nutrients go to waste, leading to pollution and posing threats to health. Existing bio-utilization projects primarily yield low-value products such as biogas and compost, while natural resource depletion continues unabated.

Globally, approximately 8-10 million tons of shrimp, crab, and eggshells are discarded as waste or directly landfilled annually. China stands as the primary producer of aquatic products and eggs globally. Despite containing numerous high-value components, these waste materials are underutilized, contributing to resource wastage and environmental pollution.

There is a growing demand for children's educational toys in the international market. However, in China, toys are predominantly made of plastic, with pigments and coatings potentially containing heavy metals. The sustainable development of the toy industry becomes increasingly crucial, yet the market lacks toys made from eco-friendly materials that protect children's health and offer educational value.

The toy demands for preschool children are closely linked to material safety, sustainability, and cognitive development. Preschoolers often interact with toys using their mouths and bodies, increasing the risk of chemical accumulation in their bodies. Therefore, toy material safety is are crucial. Additionally, preschool children undergo rapid toy turnover, leading to environmental pollution from toy production and disposal, emphasizing the importance of material sustainability.

The preschool period is crucial in a child's development, significantly shaping their cognition and growth. Psychologist Sigmund Freud regarded this stage as the most opportune for plasticity. Through toys and social interactions, children enhance their thinking, cognition, language, and social skills, nurturing imagination and creativity. Additionally, preschoolers eagerly engage in social activities, such as role-playing games, which effectively satisfy their curiosity and stimulate interest in learning. During this stage, children utilize their senses—sight, hearing, touch, among others—to perceive the world, continuously developing and refining their understanding of colors, tactile sense, and spatial perception.

Material properties

Sustainability

1. The material used is 100% biodegradable. After use, it can be applied as fertilizer in soil or dissolved in vinegar or hot water.

2. The raw materials used are all derived from food by-product waste (shrimp shell extracts, eggshells, vegetable and fruit peel pigments, food grade bio-adhesives).

3. The production process has low energy consumption, requiring only heating during material mixing. The shaping process is naturally air-dried throughout, without excessive industrial energy consumption.

4. By extending the entire life cycle of food waste, the rate of pollution generation during waste processing is reduced. This increases resource utilization efficiency and partially replaces industrial products such as plastics, thereby achieving environmental sustainability goals.

Safety and Antimicrobial

1. The raw materials used are natural and food-grade, ensuring safety and non-toxicity.

2. Chitosan extracted from shrimp shell waste exhibits natural antimicrobial properties, inhibiting bacterial growth.

Material Stability

1. The material is hard and durable, resistant to impact and breakage, ensuring long-term use without easy damage.

2. The material exhibits strong waterproof properties, allowing short-term exposure to water or wiping

3. The material exhibits strong heat resistance, beginning to melt only at temperatures close to sixty degrees Celsius. It remains unaffected by summer temperatures, making it suitable for daily use in various scenarios.

Toy Description

Fookis toy set includes 36 food-shaped building blocks made from bio-materials, 3 container-shaped block bases, and a set of interactive guidebooks with nutritional knowledge.

· Through the guided games in the book, children gradually learn about the nutrition of various foods and take on the role of "nutritionists." They select and pair food-shaped blocks according to "customer" requests, stabilize the blocks on the container bases, and deliver them to the "customers"! This process is akin to balancing blocks and role play. Children can play the game independently following the guidebooks or participate with their parents.

· The interactive guidebooks are divided into four parts, corresponding to four levels, guiding children to gradually understand the nutrition of common foods, dietary combinations, quantity calculations, balancing block constructions, and how ingredients make delicious meals!

· This process entertainingly cultivates the balance, focus, counting, and communication abilities of preschoolers aged 3-6, while allowing parents and children to explore common nutritional knowledge together.

Preschoolers often acquire cognitive understanding of the world through simple and fun educational toys and games, fostering their cognitive and various abilities. Fookis emphasizes the development of these abilities crucial for the healthy growth of children aged 3-6, aiming to provide comprehensive development and joyful growth for preschoolers through safe and environmentally friendly toy experiences. This project addresses contemporary challenges in children's health, education, and ecological environment through eco-sustainable and educational children's toys.