Today, over 150,000 people follow Jimmy Choi on TikTok. He posts videos of himself completing physical challenges that can make one’s muscles ache, as well as clips that are highlighting his experience with Parkinson’s disease, which afflicts over 10 million people worldwide.

A Famous TikToker with Parkinson’s

In December 2020, Jimmy Choi posted a video demonstrating his difficulty with removing just one pill from his bottle of medications. His hands were shaking, and the pills were very small and difficult to reach. Even though Choi could break fitness world records, he was still unable to take a pill that he needed to function. He described the experience like a nightmare and a dream rolled into one.

The TikTok Community to the Rescue

Within days, Brian Alldridge, who works as a videographer, posted on his own TikTok, a special video of a pill bottle he designed to address the problem of Jimmy Choi. Alldridge shares that the first model took about two days from concept sketches to publishing for someone who had never worked with AutoCad. This was only the beginning, though. In the video, Alldridge also offered to send his files to anyone who wanted to create an actual prototype of the pill bottle using a 3D printer. The response surprised him.

Alldridge also thought that maybe one or two people would message him and subsequently back out when he wouldn’t be able to guarantee that the device would work. Instead, thousands of people offered to 3D print the thing and even more told of someone they knew that could benefit from it.

The TikTok community 3D printed and tested multiple versions of the medication bottle, eventually sending a prototype to Choi to test for himself so that they could consider his feedback.

According to Brian Alldridge, the project shows just how much people can accomplish using 3D printing technology that’s now widely available, as long as they are willing to put in the effort.

Although garbage seems to be a worldwide problem, it’s cities like St. Petersburg in Russia that have it worse than other areas. Fortunately for locals, a Russian fashion brand called 99Recycle is working hard to turn the city’s huge piles of garbage into chic and trendy bags and other accessories.

A Successful Recycling Project From Russia

99Recycle is an up-and-coming Russian company whose goal is to collect all kinds of recyclable materials from St. Petersburg’s garbage and transform it into bespoke fashion accessories and school products. The brand recently won Recycle/Upcycle Project of the Year (2020) and is now proudly creating a number of items, including backpacks, bags, laptop cases, and even skateboards and bicycles. Companies can also order branded items from 99Recycle.

Sustainability in Fashion Is a Growing Concern

As the 21st-century rolls on, more and more people are beginning to look at sustainable solutions like using recycled materials for fashion items. Given that this industry is one of the main contributors to worldwide pollution, this shift to sustainable fashion is crucially important. To create its beautiful bags and backpacks, 99Recycle uses a large 3D printer (based on a Hyundai design) that utilizes recycled plastic as a raw material.

So far, the team has collected more than 70 tons of plastic by collaborating with local nonprofits dedicated to recycling different types of materials. One of their projects was led by head designer Olga Glagoleva (pictured above), where the team created a line of hoodies, shirts, and fashion accessories using leftover materials from dairy packaging.

Russia’s Garbage Problem

The reason 99Recycle’s efforts are especially important in Russia is the fact that the country’s landfills are much larger and more poorly managed compared to other European cities. Russia’s throw-away culture continues to contribute to the problem, but 99Recycle is doing its best to educate people through lectures and classes on sustainability and recycling options.