I've been quietly working on a new recycled art tool for almost two years with specialists in the UK: the world's first palette knife made from recycled whiteboards and stationery. It feels slightly wild to write that down because this one started in the least glamorous way possible a very rough Canva mock-up in 2024.
Where it started
Along the way, the idea was not even to make the whole knife from recycled plastic. We were looking at handles, over-moulding, different materials and whether it was even possible to create a tool that looked beautiful, felt useful and still made sense from a manufacturing point of view.
At one point, the whole thing went on hold for a few months. That's the part of product development I find both frustrating and interesting. Sometimes the first idea is not wrong, it's just not finished.
What if the whole knife could be recycled?
Eventually, the question went back to the original concept: what if the whole palette knife could be made from recycled plastic? The first samples have now been made from recycled whiteboards and stationery, and they are better than I expected.
They're beautiful, the level of quality is there and they work. It's all very Sustainable Canvas. Unfortunately, that doesn't automatically mean we should launch them in a big, traditional way.
Why we're starting small
They are expensive to manufacture. Small production runs cost more, larger production runs require more commitment, and when you're building a product-based business, especially one using recycled materials, you have to think about more than whether something is exciting.
You have to think about whether it's sustainable to make: financially, practically, and from a materials point of view. So we're starting small. The first palette knives will be released in a very limited, and not so traditional, way.
Made with UK specialists
This project has also been a reminder that good products are rarely made alone. The first samples have been produced with specialist recycled plastic makers in the UK who understand the material, the limitations and the reality of small batch production. They also have a lot of patience!
There's a lot that sits between an idea and a finished product: the dodgy drawing, the 3D printing tests, the real samples, the material testing, the costings, the pause, the rethink, the decision not to rush just because you're excited.
So no, this isn't a traditional product launch... yet. It's a small first release of something completely and utterly new and maybe that's the most honest way to begin.
Alanah
Sustainable Canvas Founder