大象传媒

Designer, maker and materials engineer Zoe Laughlin explores an item so ubiquitous that most of us don鈥檛 give it a moment鈥檚 thought - the toothbrush. With 200 milion thrown away each year in the UK, she鈥檚 on a mission to find a more sustainable solution.

In search of inspiration, she heads to Sweden鈥檚 impressive low-impact mega-factory Tepe, where handles made from sugar-cane-based plastic are ahead of the pack. She explores bespoke production techniques, employing 3D-laser sintering, and dips into the archives of the British Dental Association, revealing the light-bulb moment when the modern brush was hit upon in a prison cell.

Turning to toothpaste itself, pioneering scientists are using bio-active glass to get more fluoride to our teeth. Unconventional options used at Lush Cosmetic鈥檚 Willy Wonker-style lab get Zoe's taste buds tingling, before she reveals her final toothbrush and alternative 'paste'. Both are uniquely Zoe - and just a bit bonkers - but they could also provide a very real eco-friendly answer to our daily brushing needs.