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The gadget that turns bottles into ROPE: Simple $15 device transforms plastic containers into flexible string

To use the ‘Plastic Bottle Cutter’, you first cut the bottom off a bottle
Tool then slices the rest of it into a long thin strand of plastic rope
Team has already raised $148,110, beating their $9,445 funding goal

By Ellie Zolfagharifard For Dailymail.com

Published: 19:32 EST, 3 March 2016 | Updated: 19:42 EST, 3 March 2016

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You may think you’re doing the world some good by recycling plastic bottles – but a French pair of environmentalists has gone one better.

Pavel and Ian, a pair of inventors from Versailles, have created a simple gadget that lets you ‘upcycle’ any plastic bottle into rope.

The team claim that one bottle is enough to create rope strong enough to pull a car out of a ditch.

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The device consists of a wooden handle, razor blade, and a cutting guide.

To use the ‘Plastic Bottle Cutter’, you first have to cut the bottom off of a plastic soda or water bottle. The tool then slices the rest of it into a long thin strand.

Any bottle can be used. However, ridged bottles require you to first close the cap and place the bottle over a heat source to smooth it out.

‘The absolutely astonishing amount of plastic bottles that everyone uses and throws into the garbage can every day is truly impressive,’ the duo write on their Kickstarter campaign.

‘This represents an economic waste, since the plastic of bottles is a commodity that is worth money and can be reused.

Pavel and Ian, a pair of inventors from Versailles, have created a simple gadget that lets you ‘upcycle’ any plastic bottle into plastic rope. The device consists of a wooden handle, razor blade, and a cutting guide

The rope is remarkably strong. The inventors of the device claim that one bottle is enough to create rope strong enough to pull a car out of a ditch. It's even strong enough to walk on

‘Even when sent for recycling, the volume of plastic bottles makes it challenging to transport and accommodate them efficiently.’

While it’s a relatively simple idea, the gadget could help keep plastic bottles out of landfills and turn them into something useful instead.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The device consists of a wooden handle, razor blade, and a cutting guide.

To use the ‘Plastic Bottle Cutter’, you first have to cut the bottom off of a plastic soda or water bottle.

The tool then slices the rest of it into a long thin strand of plastic that is flexible enough to be used in the place of twine.

‘It all depends on the bottle, but the tape of the ordinary Coca-Cola with a width of 4 mm can withstand a load of 7kg,’ the inventors say.

‘Our first sample was kept in the sun and on the street for two years now and it still holds the load.’

At the time of writing, the gadget has more than 2,950 backers who have pledged a total of $148,110.

The original funding goal was just $9,445 goal, and there are still 50 days left on the Kickstarter campaign.

A pledge of $15 dollars gets you an early prototype of the plastic cutter, with the device expected to be shipped sometime in June.

According to recent estimates, the ocean is filled with eight million tonnes of garbage - enough to fill five carrier bags for every foot of coastline on the planet.

Because of the difficulties in working out the exact amount, since much of it may have sunk, scientists say the true figure could be as much as 12.7 million tons polluting the ocean each year.

A report released at the World Economic Forum this year said that the amount of plastic waste in the Earth's oceans will outweigh fish in just 30 years unless drastic action is taken.

At the time of writing, the gadget has more than 2,950 backers who have pledged a total of $148,110. The original funding goal was just $9,445 goal, and there are still 50 days left on the Kickstarter campaign

To use the ‘Plastic Bottle Cutter’, you first have to cut the bottom off of a plastic soda or water bottle. The tool then slices the rest it into a long thin strand