Fei Kettle
manufacturing sustainability redesign
The Fei Kettle elevates a familiar household object into something culturally resonant and environmentally responsible.
Home Goods
2025
Rhino, Keyshot
how it's used
At its core is a simple sliding internal section that provides a clear, intuitive way to measure and boil only the amount of water needed. This reduces energy use over the product’s lifetime while improving user awareness of their everyday environmental impact. The kettle’s modular construction avoids adhesives and fused materials, allowing components to be easily disassembled, repaired, or recycled at end-of-life.
How can we redesign the electric kettle to be manufactured in a more responsible and impactful way?
the electric kettle
Kettles are typically made from stainless steel, polypropylene plastics, and glass.
Currently, manufacturing processes include injection molding for plastic pieces like the plastic body, handles, and base components.
Any stainless steel components are treated with sheet metal stamping and deep drawing.
However, most modern kettles have many decorative coatings, platings, as well as overmolding and multi-problem bonding, where plastic is permanently fused to metal. This is commonly seen in kettle handles and decorative trims, and prevents steel and plastic recycling.
People also commonly overfill their kettles, which is problematic due to massive amounts of water and energy being wasted.
