Thinksound launches first headphones using bioplastic

Thinksound, an audio equipment manufacturer based in Toronto, has launched its first over-ear headphones using bioplastic. The plastic comes from Eastman, a plastics manufacturer based in Kingsport, Tennessee, and contains more than 40 percent biobased content derived from sustainably harvested trees.

The headphones, called the ov21, can be preordered online now and will be in stock in October 2021.

"We're a company that has always had sustainability as part of our mission," says Aaron Fournier, president and founder of Thinksound. "Historically, we've achieved this by using wood and other natural or recyclable components. That created a challenge with new product development because we had to minimize the use of plastic. Eastman offered us an opportunity to develop headphones in an environmentally responsible way while meeting our rigorous standards for acoustic performance."

Eastman is a U.S. Department of Agriculture certified biobased polymer that offers excellent acoustic properties in addition to the durability, chemical resistance and processability required for engineered applications in consumer electronic devices, according to Eastman.

"We're proud to be working with a company like Thinksound, with its deep commitment to environmentally sound products," says Courtland Jenkins, commercial director of specialty plastics for Eastman. 

The audio company is also developing two wireless headphone products that will use sustainable materials as part of its commitment to environmentally responsible innovation.

"We now have the flexibility to create almost any audio product our customers desire, and we can do it in a way that we can feel good about," says Mark Forward, chief marketing officer of Thinksound. "Eastman provides the kind of technology and innovation that matches our ambitions as a company. We're excited about the possibilities of what we can create together."