Forma Research

Forma Designs Collective is a studio in Aberdeen that turns retired climbing rope and waste plastic into things people use. We publish what we learn, with the numbers, so others can check it, cite it and copy it.

Retired Rope and Waste Plastic: The Forma Material Report 2026

How much climbing rope the UK throws away, what one cafe bins in HDPE every year, how we turn both into products, and the reference figures behind it.

Read the report

Building a Company from Trash: The Forma Playbook 2026

Twelve fundamentals for building a business that makes things from waste, learned the hard way over two years.

Read the playbook

Using our figures

You are welcome to quote and reuse the figures with credit: Forma Designs Collective (2026), Aberdeen. We update both papers each year and keep old versions available. Corrections and better data are welcome at george@formadesignscollective.com.