Making the fabric in the Nest Mini from recycled plastic is part of a commitment by Google to make all of its products from 100% recycled material by 2022
Nest Mini is a portable speaker developed by Google (Credit: Google)
All of the fabrics used in Google’s new Nest Mini speakers will be made with post-consumer recycled plastic bottles, the company has said.
Alongside this, 35% of the external enclosure will be produced from the same materials, with all Nest products launched in 2019 built using varying amounts of recycled plastic.
This follows moves by the company to re-use plastic across a wider range of products, with parts the new Stadia gaming handset made partly from recycled plastic.
Google’s head of design for all hardware products Ivy Ross said: “Instead of these materials ending up in the ocean or in landfill we are giving them a new life.
“We have designed and engineered the fabric on our Nest Mini speakers so that it’s made from 100% recycled plastic bottles.
“A single, half-litre bottle produces enough textiles to cover more than two Nest Minis, and we didn’t compromise on aesthetic or function.”
Google to make 100% of its products from recycled materials by 2022
The move to make part of the Nest Minis with recycled plastic is in line with the tech giant’s commitment to make 100% of its products from recycled materials by 2022.
Alongside this, the firm has pledged 100% of shipments both going to and coming from customers will be carbon neutral by 2020.
In a company blog, its head of sustainability for consumer hardware Anna Meegan said: “Most of us can’t get through the day without a phone, tablet, computer or smart speaker.
“But building these devices and getting them into the hands of our customers takes a lot of resources, and disposing of our old electronics can create significant waste.
“My job is to integrate sustainability into our products, operations and communities — making it not just an aspect of how we do business, but the centrepiece of it.
“It’s an ongoing endeavour that involves designing in sustainability from the start and embedding it into the entire product development process and across our operations, all while creating the products our customers want.
“This is how we will achieve our ambition to leave people, the planet, and our communities better than we found them.”
Speaking to NS Packaging at the time of this announcement, technology analyst at analytics firm GlobalData Emma Mohr-McClune said Google is one of many tech companies looking to be more sustainable.
She said: “Revved-up carbon neutrality goals are a clear Silicon Valley trend right now, as the tech sector seeks to align itself with the Fridays for Future millennial mind-set.
“Google has long been attempting to make its public profile more green, and is anxious to show some near-term progress.”