Swedish company add:north has launched a new 3D printing filament called “Addlantis”, made entirely from recycled nylon fishing nets. The material was developed in collaboration with the Portuguese initiative Peniche Ocean Watch, which is dedicated to recovering ghost nets from the Atlantic Ocean. The goal of the project is to transform plastic waste from the maritime sector into a usable resource for additive manufacturing.
“We wanted to create something different—to rethink manufacturing with sustainable materials and methods and produce a product that will last a lifetime,” says Lotta Lundgren.
“We wanted to create a high-quality tool using both sustainable materials and manufacturing methods. Our goal was to produce it on a small scale—just enough to meet our current needs. We also wanted the handle to be made of plastic for its comfort and durability, but we were determined to use a ‘good plastic,’ preferably a recycled material. That’s when we learned about 3D-printing and got in touch with Ivo Kiusalaas, who designed the handle. Initially, he was only going to 3D-print some prototypes for us, but when he later explained that we could simply 3D-print the handle and use it directly in our product, we were positively surprised. Even more so when we heard about add:north’s new nylon filament made from recycled fishing nets—it was a perfect match,” Helena Hesselman explains.
After several years of development, the nylon material was optimized for FDM 3D printing technology. The collected nets are cleaned, sorted, granulated, and mixed with additives to ensure properties such as dimensional stability and layer adhesion. According to the manufacturer, Addlantis is highly resistant to heat and UV radiation and is mechanically robust enough for outdoor applications.
The material’s first real-world application can be found in a garden tool by Swedish brand Häxkraft. The handle of the “Renskroken” weed remover is entirely produced using Addlantis and 3D printing. Product developer Helena Hesselman emphasizes that the combination of durability and sustainability was key in the material selection. Producing small batches locally allows for flexible and resource-efficient manufacturing. The project was supported by designer Ivo Kiusalaas, who adapted the handle’s geometry to the specific material characteristics.
“This project with Lotta and Helena was a perfect opportunity to show that 3D-printing can be used for more than just toys. However, it also requires a deeper understanding of the materials and their limitations”, Ivo Kiusalaas explains. “We’re proud to be among the first in the world to try out this new material, made from old fishing nets as part of a more circular manufacturing process.”
“If you want to work like Helena and I—meaning, if you want to have control over the product, how it’s manufactured, the materials used, the people involved, and its design—then this technology offers a huge opportunity that you would hardly believe is even possible,” Lotta Lundgren concludes.
The use of recycled materials in 3D printing shows that additive manufacturing can contribute to the circular economy even in small-scale production. The direct link between material origin, design, and manufacturing opens up new possibilities for creating functional products with a reduced environmental footprint.
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