Why Logerie Works
Who works: The Rogerie is a Kelowna-based recycling studio owned by Brayden and Angela Rogers.
What works: Rogerie uses more than a dozen 3D printers to turn plastic waste from across Canada into products such as soap dishes, planters and drink tumblers. Braden Rogers estimates that the company will have diverted 6,000 kilograms of plastic waste from landfills in 2025.
What works for bioregions: A small portion of the plastic produced in Canada and the United States is recycled each year. This model shows a new way to turn waste into usable materials.
Brayden Rodgers loves second chances. In his studio, refrigerator drawers and shelves become soap dishes, drink tumblers, and planters. Transform food packaging into bathroom counter accessories. The straw becomes a food tray. And recycled plastic becomes children’s toys.
Rogers is co-owner of Rogerie, a self-described “recycling studio” in Kelowna, British Columbia. Rogers works alongside his wife, Angela, who is the creative director of the business.
Braden says there are a lot of misconceptions about what actually happens at Rogerie. Some people who pass by their downtown storefront know that Brayden and Angela have a 3D printer, leading them to assume that they run a 3D printing company because “I’ve heard that before.” Others might think the couple runs a recycling or bottle depot.
“No one can really be sure because there’s not a lot of information about what we’re doing,” Braden said.
In short, the couple designs and creates household items using recycled plastic. There are many 3D printing companies these days, but very few are using recycled plastic to make consumer products.
The inspiration came just before the pandemic. The couple moved in 2019, but struggled to find a way to dispose of all the plastic waste, which led to questions about how to recycle it. However, we quickly learned that recycling in Canada is highly inefficient. Of the 5 million tonnes of plastic waste generated in 2021, only 7 per cent was recycled. (It’s a similar story south of the border, where it’s reported that 5 percent of plastic waste is recycled.)
So the couple saw an opportunity to put their skills to use. Brayden had a background in robotic automation engineering, and Angela had creative intuition and the ability to tackle problems.
Armed with “unfounded optimism,” they started 3D printing planters to sell at local farmers markets. The company currently sells its products online and in approximately 20 retail stores across North America.
Rogers’ studio in Kelowna sells planters, soap dishes, toothbrush holders, coasters, wine tumblers and more, all made from recycled plastic.
Image provided.
Searching for “good plastic”
It’s not about finding plastic, it’s about finding plastic that gives you a second chance.
The Rodgers source a large amount of their plastic from local businesses in Kelowna that accept used metal from appliances and other items. They also look for suitable refrigerator parts to give it a second life.
Once the parts are brought home, they are shredded and added to an extruder where the plastic is melted and mixed with the color. The finished product is called a filament. This is a plastic cord that is wrapped around a spool and ultimately used for 3D printing. (Rogerie has 16 3D printers.)
During the pandemic six years ago, the Rodgers sourced plastic parts from the insides of discarded refrigerators and turned them into consumer products. Last year, it released Makkin, an assembly kit for children.
The top image is a screenshot from YouTube. Bottom image provided.
From the Roger family’s perspective, not all plastic is good plastic. First, it has to be commercial grade. This means it must be designed for consumer use, such as food packaging. They found that refrigerator shelves and drawers lend themselves well to the reuse process.
Through various experiments, the Rodgers also discovered that PLA (polylactic acid), commonly used for 3D printing and obtained from fermented plant starches such as corn, was not the best material for them to use.
“It melts at low temperatures, is difficult to recycle, and doesn’t have a long lifespan,” Braden said.
Instead, a plastic called polystyrene is used. It’s a bit more difficult to process, but it can withstand high temperatures, making it useful for a wider range of applications, he says. For example, it can be put in the dishwasher, and although it is not food safe, it is food grade so it can be used in contact with food. Plus, it’s recyclable.
Inside Kelowna’s Rogerie store, you’ll find a variety of home goods made from recycled plastic using 3D printing.
Image provided.
Although the Rodgers strive to source as much of their plastics locally as possible, the majority of their materials come from suppliers in Ontario. Sourcing the plastic takes a lot of effort, and the plastic from Ontario comes pre-cleaned and ready-to-use as pellets.
This task is time consuming and difficult to scale your business. Our most popular product, the Travel Soap Case, takes approximately 4 hours to print.
Braden says that while 3D printing is exploding in popularity, only a few companies in the world make their own filament, and even fewer use recycled materials.
“I don’t think any of them are really focused on retail or consumer products,” he said.
Rogerie sells a variety of planters, soap dishes, toothbrush holders, coasters, and wine tumblers. There are dental floss containers, waterproof canisters, and shower shelves. The couple spent a lot of time fine-tuning the product’s design and material selection, and adjusting the printer to suit the job.
Printers love it
One of their small-scale experiments began at one of the world’s largest fast-food chains.
In 2021, the Rodgers were approached by McDonald’s marketing company and told that the company was moving away from single-use plastics such as straws and cutlery. The company hoped it could help the Rodgers turn their remaining straw inventory into something innovative.
The Rodgers accepted the challenge and received 140,000 plastic straws. First, they had to get all the straws out of the wrapper efficiently, but how would they do that? They decided to fill a bathtub with water and throw the straws in, assuming that eventually the straws would float and the wrapper would sink. It took a few days, but it worked.
Rogers then created aluminum molds for the cafeteria trays. Next, I melted the straw in the oven and shaped it using a mold.
“It turned out to be much more complicated than we thought,” Braden said. “Our oven has become quite damaged.”
However, the final result was quite impressive. Fifteen red, yellow and white marble-patterned cafeteria trays were used as canvases by artists to create works of art for Ronald McDonald House Charities across the country.
It took some time to figure it out, but the Rodgers were able to make 15 cafeteria trays for McDonald’s using single-use plastic straws.
Screenshot via YouTube.
McDonald’s experiments led to further improvements. Braden tried to create a shower comb using injection molding, a process in which molten plastic is injected into a mold. This allowed the couple to use different types of plastic. But they soon returned to their home base: 3D printing.
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“The path to plastic sustainability”
Since starting their business in 2019, the couple has battled many financial uncertainties. The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken up supply chains, changed consumer habits and forced many companies to adapt. Then President Donald Trump’s tariffs went into effect, clouding the market.
Rogers reached a milestone in 2021, moving from participating in farmers markets to relocating to a retail space at Kelowna’s Orchard Park Shopping Center. Last year, we took another big step forward. They relocated to their own retail store in the town’s cultural district, which also has space for a studio.
As our business has grown, we’ve been saving more plastic from landfills each year. Braden estimates that about 6,000 kilograms will have been diverted in 2025.
After a rocky start, Brayden says he’s finally able to breathe with Angela. They’re looking forward to slowing down a bit to be more intentional with their business.
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This includes putting more inventory on the shelves, making the new retail location and studio feel more like home, and setting up organizational systems to make the business work more efficiently. “They’re not flashy or exciting, but they generate better long-term business,” Braden says.
Not that the couple has lost their sense of fun creativity. Before Christmas, the company released its first new product in a while: Makkin, a children’s toy that includes a set of bolts, nuts, hinges and brackets. With the help of a little imagination, you can turn old cardboard boxes into small go-karts, airplanes and boats.
Rogers plans to release other products soon. Brayden promises “a lot will happen” this year.
So can we expect to see more recycling studios like The Rogerie, complete with 3D printers and creatively designed, colorful products?Rogers sees no reason not to. As Braden puts it, their business is showing “a path to sustainability for plastics that don’t exist.”
This article section In The Tyee’s “What Works: The Business of a Healthy Bioregion,” from Alaska to central California, you’ll find profiles of the people who are creating the low-carbon, regenerative economies we need. learn more About this project and its funders: magic canoe and Salmon Nation Trust. 
