MÜHLE: PAPERCUT

What is needs-based shaving?

Nowadays shaving products are available in all kinds of shapes and colors, but if you want to buy a “sustainable” product, you have to dig deep into your pocket. In addition, a noble razor due to the processing and CO2 elaborate material composition commits to a lifetime of use. To counteract the state of affairs and create other options, I created two alternatives in my semester project, which are both material-appropriate, high-quality and designed according to the useful life. Two products compatible with Mühle have thus been created.

The first result of my project work is a metal razor. It is characterized by an elegant, yet material-saving design. The way it was made was directly incorporated into the design process to avoid complicated manufacturing methods. This enables local production without the involvement of specialized companies from abroad. For example, the handle of the razor can be made by a simple bending machine, using 100 % of the material. In contrast, the average material waste in the milled handle of the razor plane is about 25 %. Even if the metal is added back to the material cycle, a high energy input is involved. Another issue I have dealt with is the blade changing mechanism. To allow the insertion of multiple blades without becoming too complex, a clamping mechanism is provided. To change blades, you push the two sides of the handle toward each other so that the blade holder falls out of its anchorage. This works because the handle of the razor is constantly under tension. In order to prevent the tensioning mechanism from being operated unintentionally, it can only be operated at the uppermost lever point of the handle due to the material rigidity of metal. 
The interaction of these simple components creates an option that is more suitable for the material and, in my eyes, is compatible with mill despite the need for it.
The second option I created is a disposable paper razor. Disposable products are often considered “trashy” but in many cases are extremely useful. Possible use cases would include hospitals and hotels. These could be in direct exchange with the mill company and send the used blades back to production separately from the paper. The special alloy of the blades would then be melted down on site and reprocessed. The remaining paper on the razor can simply be disposed of in the paper waste due to the existing infrastructure. Together with other waste paper, it is then reprocessed in recycling plants and finds its way back into production. Disposable razors are also convenient for people who are not yet ready to invest in a more expensive product or do not carry their actual razor with them when traveling. Here, the blades could be collected personally by the users and sent back to production by envelope. To ensure a sufficiently long use of the razor, I was in contact with several companies that work with paper injection molding. Due to the high compression of the material during the process, an extremely hard surface finish is achieved. The injection molded part then has plastic-like properties when cooled and is hydrophobic for a certain period of time. This water resistance is sufficient to shave as many times as one does on average with a disposable razor. To then remove the blade from the razor without accident after use, a tab is provided. If you pull on this, the front part above the blade comes off and exposes it. In addition, the limited useful life of the paper is similar to the useful life of the built-in razor blade. This makes the paper disposable razor more need-based compared to the standard plastic disposable product.