Hand holding black design power strip with walnut top sheet - MyNolla Strip black/walnut

Electronics as design

Designing power strips and electrical devices in general does set some guidelines we need to follow. Since we are talking about electrical devices, we make sure our products are always safe to use and have around your home. With us, design always goes hand in hand with safety and practicality. 

If possible, we would of course use only biodegradable, natural and self-degrading materials that would be constantly renewable resources. However, with electrical that is not the case. Following the principles of sustainable development is constantly challenging and puts us face to face with the options and resources available at the moment. 

We see the current dilemmas as possibilities for improvement. At the moment, we can choose to make our products safe and practical to use and thereby encourage people to invest in quality and nearby production that are very much supporting sustainable development. We do not try to go back in time and take away the benefits achieved, but to make them more sustainable in terms of both use and features, and thereby increase sustainability in both our own operations and those of our customers.

We have designed a power strip that makes using electrical appliances easy and smooth, and is above all, encouraging to avoid unnecessary electricity consumption by being visible and available whenever needed, and thus making it effortless to shut it off. At the same time, of course, it looks particularly good.

 

What is sustainable electronics?

 

Taking care of the sustainability of electronics includes non-toxic and more eco-friendly material choices, taking care of the sustainability of the production chain, and solutions that make the use of the product less harmful to the environment. Circular economy also plays a significant role in the recycling, reuse and environmentally sound disposal of the devices. The materials allowed to be sold in the EU are closely tested and monitored, and choosing to place our manufacturing within the EU has been a conscious decision from the beginning. This allows us to better control the production phase, minimize transportation, and support local production. 

Since sustainability is becoming increasingly important, electronics manufacturers are also urged to pay more attention to the sustainability of their products and production processes. For us, sustainability has always been our main purpose and the reason for starting this whole thing in the first place. In electronics, sustainability is still a very new, evolving business concept that we want to promote.

As a new kind of electronics concept, we see the importance of making an impact where we can. Whereas the product itself is, or course, an important part of sustainable operations, packaging materials, transport and production solutions also play an important role, which we can have an immediate impact on. By choosing manufacturing close to the EU and minimizing the length of transport and thus enhancing sustainable logistics as well as choosing recyclable, sustainably produced packaging all support electronics sustainability and reduce the operational carbon footprint.  


Design that is safe and lasts in use


First of all, in order to make electrical devices safe and durable is to use safety tested and guaranteed materials. We use PC/ABS plastics in the body. PC as in polycarbonate is a thermoplastic with excellent impact resistance, good heat resistance and excellent mechanical strength within a temperature range of -50-120 ° C. ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) is a rigid, impact-resistant plastic that is easy to work with and retains its shape well. It’s a styrene plastic with great chemical resistance and impact strength. All the plastics we use are classified as safe to use and authorized for sale in the EU.

Basically our PC/ABS surface is very resistant to scratches, dents and marks, and they give the finished device good impact protection and durability, yet making it also light. They keep an excellent surface finish and are injection molded into long-lasting and high-quality products. They also hold the highest flame resistance according to IEC testing, which means if catching fire, the burning must stop within 10 seconds making it essentially fire-proof. All are essential features for the end user in the home product on display. Making energy efficient products is what we’re aiming for, and, even more so, products that are making energy efficiency and reducing one’s carbon footprint easy and effortless. We are making a change at a point where it has not been possible to do so in a simple way so far.

Plastics have traditionally had a bad rep, but in electrical equipment, the dielectric strength, high insulation and heat, water and corrosion resistance are properties that make them ideal for safe and efficient electrical components. What matters is what plastic is used, how it is handled at the production stage and how it is recycled. We would love to see some new more sustainable options available, such as the materials used in the cables.


Responsibility for recycling 


Tricky part of wanting to uphold sustainability in our actions is the way to get rid of old electronics correctly. That is why we want to always remind our customers to recycle their electronic devices according to WEEE standards (SER in Finnish) and in that way contribute to sustainable production and consumption. 

When properly recycled the materials can be reused or, if necessary, disposed of without harming the environment. We want to make recycling as easy as possible and are coming up with more ways to help you with that, as well. As for now, we are asking everyone to be responsible and get rid of their electronics accordingly. You can read more about responsible recycling in English here and Finnish here

While sustainability thinking would be much easier to implement in many other design products, our own interest in technology, smart devices, and their management made us advance specifically in electronics design. What is fascinating about it is the simplicity of the idea, because power strips are not now traditionally thought of as design products. But at the same time, it has been a significant opportunity to make an impact right where significant change can be made and at the same time reach out to those people who have not so far felt the large-scale debate on sustainability issues approachable, or found workable ways to implement sustainability to be a part of their daily lives.