At first glance, this little yellow giraffe looks like a lot of other kids’ bath toys. But Stella is made from Renuva, a little-known material that could change for the better the way hundreds of things, from upholstery to airplane wings, are made.
The story of how Stella came to be made from this material, a soy-based alternative to polyurethane (which is typically petroleum-based), provides a model for how stuff can be better designed in the future.
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A switch to a soy-based polyurethane like Renuva reduces dependence on natural gas and crude oil. In fact, according to the United Soybean Board, “For every 1 million pounds of bio-based polyol products purchased, nearly 700,000 pounds of crude oil are saved.” (Polyols are the building blocks used to make the majority of polyurethane products). And as Torresan [Dow’s global marketing manager for polyurethanes] points out, a commitment to soy-based polyurethane is a commitment to supporting more than 600,000 soybean farmers in the United States.
Renuva is more resistant to ultraviolet rays (it lasts longer outdoors), and it repels water more strongly. Some people have complained that earlier versions had an odor reminiscent of burgers and fries, which is not exactly what you want in a sofa cushion.
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We don’t need much in the way of new things. We do need better things. Stella may be just a bath toy, but if she can help bring about this sort of evolution, let’s go ahead and fill up the tub.
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