University of Edinburgh researchers have used bacteria to turn plastic waste into a Parkinson's drug, advancing a new approach known as "bio-upcycling". More about Plastic bottles recycled into Parkinson's drug using bacteria
Dezeen Showroom: office furniture brand Narbutas has added a sound-absorbing column named Parthos to its collection of acoustic furniture. More about Parthos acoustic column by Narbutas
Dezeen Showroom: furniture maker De Vorm has released a large felt acoustic lamp made from recycled PET felt, which provides settings with noise-dampening qualities. More about Fost Large acoustic lamp by De Vorm
The latest edition of our weekly Dezeen Agenda newsletter features Polyformer, an open-source recycling machine that can be used to turn PET bottles into filament for additive manufacturing. Subscribe to Dezeen Agenda now! More about Dezeen Agenda newsletter features an open-source recycling machine for plastic bottles
California-based industrial designer Reiten Cheng has developed a recycling machine that can be 3D printed using open-source instructions and used to turn PET bottles into filament for additive manufacturing. More about Polyformer is an open-source machine that recycles plastic bottles into 3D printing filament
Dezeen Showroom: Danish brand Texstyle has launched Stax Recycled, a velvet fabric made from upcycled PET bottles. More about Stax Recycled velvet by Søren Møller for Texstyle
Dezeen Showroom: De Vorm has released its latest acoustic panel, Mute Fraction, which is made from PET felt and based on a three-dimensional version of the golden ratio known as the plastic number. More about Mute Fraction PET felt acoustic panel by De Vorm
Dezeen Showroom: plastic bottles are recycled into PET felt to form this lamp by Dutch design brand De Vorm, which doubles as an acoustic panel. More about Fost PET Felt acoustic lamp by De Vorm
Dezeen Showroom: De Vorm has released the Hale PET Felt lounge chair made from recycled plastic bottles pressed into a soft material with the slenderness of a wood seat. More about Hale PET Felt lounge chair by De Vorm
Toy brand Lego has created its first prototype bricks using recycled PET plastic from discarded bottles. More about Lego develops recycled bricks made from discarded bottles
Fashion designer Virgil Abloh has created a water bottle for Evian that is made almost entirely from recycled plastic and visualises this history through a distinctive hammered texture. More about Virgil Abloh designs recycled plastic water bottle as emblem of Evian's circular ambitions
British start-up Groundtruth has used 120 plastic bottles to create the RIKR backpack, which won the public vote in the wearable design category of this year's Dezeen Awards. More about Recycled plastic bottle backpack winner of Dezeen Awards public vote
Mineral water brand Evian has unveiled its first bottle made of recycled plastic as part of its plan to become a circular brand by 2025. More about Evian releases label-free bottle made from recycled plastic as it embraces the circular economy
Marjan van Aubel has designed a set of stained glass-style solar panels that will form part of the Dutch pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. More about Colourful translucent solar panels by Marjan van Aubel will top Dutch pavilion at Dubai Expo
Architects across America including BIG, KPF and Handel Architects have teamed up as part of an open-source project to manufacture face shields to protect hospital workers treating coronavirus patients. More about American architects mobilise to make coronavirus face shields for hospital workers
Scientists have discovered an enzyme that can "digest" plastic and revolutionalise recycling, but environmentalists warn the "miracle" breakthrough should not make designers complacent about the need to reduce use of the material. More about Plastic-eating enzyme could aid recycling
Yoh Komiyama set out to create a cat toy befitting of a modernist home when designing this multi-storey climbing toy, which features a cylinder of wooden dowels and a scratching post anchored to a marble base. More about Yoh Komiyama's climbing toy for cats doubles as a minimalist home decoration
Scandinavian designers Andreas Engesvik and Jens Fager have created a collection of lightweight pressed-felt room dividers from recycled bottles for office furniture brand Edsbyn (+ slideshow). More about Edsbyn's office partitions are made from recycled plastic bottles
Milan 2010: furniture brand Emeco launched a version of its famous Navy chair made of 111 recycled plastic cola bottles at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan last week. More about 111 Navy Chair by Emeco