Paper Helmets Could Make Cycle Share Schemes Safer, say Creators

Paper helmets could be protecting the heads of cyclists in under 12 months according to one of their inventors, Thomas Gottelier.

Paper Pulp Helmets are a type of cheap, disposable bicycle helmet made entirely from recycled newspaper. Designed by former Royal College of Art (RCA) students Thomas Gottelier, Bobby Petersen and Edward Thomas, the helmets could cost as little as £1 and are 2-3 mm thick. The helmets are "safe, biodegradable, recyclable and waterproof," Gottelier told Wired.co.uk.



The team says they are currently in discussions with Barclays for investment into the project, with an aim to have the helmets ready for deployment by Spring 2014. A Barclays spokesperson declined to comment. They have also attracted the attention of the London government, Transport for London and Crossrail, as well as a San Francisco-based cycle share scheme, according to Gottelier.

To make the helmets, newspaper is grinded and then mixed into a solution that is 96 percent water. Colouring and waterproofing additives can then be added. The solution is then sucked onto a mould, with the water passing through a fine mesh that leaves only the newspaper on the mould. Once its dried, you have a remarkably strong material that is used as packaging in some parts of the chemical industry. The process is so cheap that the strap for the helmet, which is made from woven paper string, is the most expensive part.

Paper Pulp Helmets arose when Gottelier, Petersen and Thomas decided to do something about the lack of helmet provision on the Barclays Cycle Hire scheme. "Cycle share providers have a responsibility to also provide helmets," says Gottelier. "They preach helmet safety, but they don't have provision for it".

The trio would regularly cycle to university and were inspired to "use materials you see around the city". In London, that's newspaper, primarily the free copies of the Evening Standard and the Metro that litter London's streets and transport system every day. Although it seems counter-intuitive to imagine a paper helmet being safe, Gottelier is confident that it meets European cycle helmet standards. The team have tested it at Imperial College London and the RCA and are looking forward to having it independently-tested at SATRA, the UK's leading helmet testing facility.

However, Gottelier says that it's not meant to be a replacement for current helmets. "It's for spontaneous cycle users and not your everyday cyclists," he says. "We're absolutely not saying that it's better than other helmets". With cycle share schemes popping up in cities around the world, most recently in New York, the question of providing helmets for cycle share users is an important one. The logistical problems around providing useful helmets are significant, the primary one being: where do you keep them?

Although the Paper Pulp Helmets don't directly solve that issue, their recyclability and low cost begin to make it a viable option for cycle share schemes.

Gottelier says they are planning to improve the helmet, making it thicker and altering the shape. "[At the moment] it's not stylish," he admitted.

Original story from Wired.co.uk