Bike sharing is a great way to get around a city without actually owning a bike. The problem is that when using a shared bike things like helmets aren’t exactly provided. The idea of “shared” helmets are in development, but these require sanitization after each use.
The Paper Pulp Helmet offers another solution, which its creators are looking to bring to market. While still in the concept stage the Paper Pulp Helmet was developed by Royal College Of Art in London graduates Tom Gottelier, Bobby Petersen, and Ed Thomas. These helmets can be made from newspapers collected from around the public transport network in London. These discarded papers are mixed with water to create a pulp, which in turn an organic element is added. Pigment is added to help differentiate the size.
The mixture is vacuum-formed into a shape, heated and then left to dry. The result is a simply helmet that can be reused or recycled. More importantly it can be sold for around £1 each (US$1.50), thus providing an expensive brain bucket for riders.