Pentatonic and Pharrell Williams design The Pebble, a mobile, eco-friendly cutlery kit

Created completely out of recycled and waste materials, The Pebble is a compact dining toolkit by Otherware, a collaboration between circular economy company Pentatonic, and i am OTHER, American producer and singer Pharrell William’s design collective. The eco-friendly cutlery kit focuses on functional and sustainable design and weighs less than a smartphone. The set includes a fork, knife, spoon, straw and chopsticks, tucked inside a smooth, pebble like purple and yellow case.

Usage of single-use plastic products such as cups, food containers and cutlery has increased up to 35 per cent globally in the wake of concerns associated with the spread of coronavirus. “As we gradually return to public spaces and work, we need to look for environmentally friendly alternatives that still protect our health,” says team Pentatonic.

“Our team has been super concerned about the seemingly unstoppable flow of single-use plastics, especially around food and drink. So, we decided to get together with Pentatonic to do something about it, in a fresh, creative and relevant way. The goal is that The Pebble makes it easy for people to take their first step towards eliminating single use plastics,” says Darla Vaughn, Project leader, i am OTHER.

Pentatonic estimates that “10 billion CDs and DVDs have been discontinued in the US alone since 2005” as everyone now prefers streaming music digitally. Keeping that in account, The Pebble’s case and insert are made from recycled CDs (polycarbonate), “in a nod to Pharrell’s roots in music.” The cutlery has been crafted from recycled polypropylene and stainless steel, its handles from recycled food packaging and the tips from anodised titanium coated steel, giving it the unique colour. It is also re-recyclable at the end of its life – Pentatonic relays that The Pebble will be brought back at trade value, and its materials will be repurposed into another product.

Your pebble is widely recycled. Just disassemble and add to your local recycling, or better yet, trade-back to us so we can make new things. – Otherware by Pentatonic

The fun, cutesy kit was originally designed for a world of festival dining, city lunch breaks, grab and go desk snacking and park and beach picnics. i am OTHER’s signature five colour palette is followed in this product design as well, each component engineered to fit in the compact, curved case. Each pebble can be hung from a bag strap or belt loop as it comes with a custom clip.  

Products made from products inform the definitive guide to circular design economy and resourceful innovation. The Pebble from Otherware is not just functional design but is great for the planet’s health too. “OTHERWARE was built around a simple goal – to make beautiful, useful, relevant products, which make single use easily avoided. The fact the Pebble will be made from waste materials not only extends each product’s impact but also adds a cutting-edge technology story to a product which will also help keep you safe when dining out of home,” says Jamie Hall, Co-founder, Pentatonic.