Your next Samsung Galaxy will feature a new material made of repurposed, discarded fishing nets that otherwise would have ended up in the oceans. There’s just one mystery: It’s not exactly clear what that material is. Consequently, we also don’t know how it will incorporated into the phone—if it’s actually in the phone—its accessories, or its packaging.
Samsung revealed its new “creative” material in a news announcement on Sunday. The mystery comes ahead of its Galaxy Unpacked event this upcoming Wednesday, where it’s expected to release its new flagship series, the Galaxy S22. According to the company, it will incorporate repurposed ocean-bound plastics throughout its entire product lineup “now and into the future,” starting with the new Galaxy devices launching at Unpacked.
“These devices will reflect our ongoing effort to eliminate single-use plastics and expand the use of other eco-conscious materials, such as recycled post-consumer material (PCM) and recycled paper,” Samsung said in the news release.
The company goes on to say that discarded fishing nets, also known as “ghost nets,” trap and entangle marine life, damage coral reefs, and destroy habitats. It’s not wrong. The World Wildlife Fund reports that ghost fishing gear, which includes discarded nets, lines, and ropes, make up roughly 10% of the more than 12 million tons of plastic pollution that ends up in the oceans every year. It is one of the deadliest forms of marine plastic.
Samsung isn’t the only company to get on the sustainable materials bandwagon. As Engadget points out, Microsoft launched the Ocean Plastic Mouse last year. The device’s shell is made of 20% recovered ocean plastic, which is processed into plastic resin pellets. The pellets are then combined with other materials to make the shell. As far as the packaging goes, that’s also eco-friendly, too, and made with recyclable wood and sugarcane natural fibers.
We’ll find out what Samsung’s mysterious and creative new material is on Wednesday. You can check out what we know about the company’s upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event here.