MyCo Phonecase: An Apple in a Mushroom
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Phone cases today are typically made out of silicone, rubber, metal, and leather materials. While most of these materials are widely popular for their accessibility and cheap costs for mass manufacturing, they have their downsides [39]. As to be expected, plastic cases are far from environmentally friendly, while leather cases are expensive and require external resources like land and irrigation water for the cows they source the material from [9]. Metal cases can get overheated easily and have issues with transmitting wireless signals [23]. Moreover, silicone cases, well, they can be just too difficult to clean and can end up looking low-quality [39].
So, what is a material we can find that’s environmentally friendly, low-cost, and doesn’t interfere with our electronics, all while still maintaining quality? Look no further but the
Myco Phonecase, a customizable case that can be fabricated out of mycelium. These cases encompass all the values listed above and can be something that the consumer is empowered to create and customize themselves.
While there are companies who manufacture phone cases that are sustainable and eco friendly, some of them are expensive, and cannot be tailored to consumer trends. The Myco Phonecase, on the other hand, is easily accessible, cost-efficient, and is something that anyone can have fun making.
Molds
Tools
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Oomoo 30 Silicone Rubber Compound kit
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Old phone case
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Plastic rectangular container
Mycelium
Materials
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(Optional) Acrylic paints
Step one
Step two
Step three
Step four
Final steps
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Mold Creation Process
Measure out equal amounts of Part A and Part B solutions from the OOMOO kit into the mixing bowl. It should be a 1:1 ratio. Make sure to fill the bowl.
Mix thoroughly ensuring that there are no colored streaks in the final mixture
Glue the back of the phone case to the bottom of the plastic container. The phone should be face up in the container.
Pour the silicone rubber mixture into the container. There should be enough to cover the entire phone case equally and to fill up most of the container.
Let it solidify for 6-7 hours.
Gently remove the original phone case model from the mold.
Final Artifact Process
Cut into a moon shape using an Exacto-knife.
Optional: Paint
Call a loved one.