Do you love vinyl?
We sure do! So much history & good vibes in one object. But we also know that the manufacturing process of vinyls isn’t so great for the environment. As seductive as the temptation may be to slide a classic PVC disc from its glossy sleeve and get lost in its heady frequencies, archaic production techniques ensure that traditional vinyl pressings are responsible for 12 times the greenhouse gas emissions of other physical music media.
We knew that if we wanted to change that, we needed to team up with the most forward-thinking crew. Partners who aren’t afraid to push the limits. Here comes Evolution Music. Together, we are developing the world’s very first PHA Vinyl – a new kind of bioplastic made by bacteria, which will naturally decompose in any environment, including the ocean! Pressed at the greenest pressing plant in activity, Deepgrooves in Leeuwarden, this earth-friendly vinyl that sounds better than ever will be delivering the future, without compromising a single bit on sound quality.
This means that the records will not only be good for the environment, but it will also have the exact same audio quality of regular records. If not better. Talk about a win-win revolution! This is all thanks to Evolution Music’s years of R&D in the space of bioplastic vinyl pressing. This novel object we’re unfolding will now be made from plastic-replicating microbes!
All profits help make the music industry plastic free!
Not only is this album made of biodegradable materials, but it also supports a good cause: a as a fundraising album, all profits will support our work to make the music industry plastic-free. All 14 artists from this album have squeezed the best of their creative juice & gave birth to passionate & motivating tracks feeding the movement. Make sure to discover them & their resounding message!!
Imagine your entire collection, turned into PHA vinyl: the best printed music, minus the worry of hurting the environment.Soon PHA vinyls will be more popular than vinyl records. Surely you wanna hold a proof that you were here when it all started!
Step into the future, get your digital & (very limited) physical copy!
Download the album & support the future of our scene here
FAQs
Is the sound quality really the same as a regular vinyl?
Yes, the sound quality is looking to be the same as traditional vinyl records. This is thanks to the expertise & long-dedicated research efforts that Evolution Music have brought to this project from day 1, as well as being very clairvoyant in regards to the fact that if PHA ever wanted to compete against traditional vinyls, it would have to offer equal sound quality as a minimum baseline.
Will my vinyl biodegrade on my turntables?
Well, no, it doesn’t quite work like that ;)
The bacteria that built up your beloved new vinyl are not active at this stage. For the vinyl to biodegrade, they would need to be re-activated, called back to their “true nature”. This would only happen in a very favorable environment (moist, light, heat,... think about digging it in your backyard for a year, or leaving it on a wooden street bench for… decades).
In short: just make sure to give it the same care as the rest of your collection: keeping it in the sleeve, in a dry & dark place. This way the #PlasticFreeParty album should perfectly outlive you!
Does this new material use existing pressing systems or need new custom machinery?
We're totally adaptable baby!
The new PHA compound can fit like a glove into any existing pressing plant- no mess, no fuss. That makes it as easy to adopt than any other fossil fuel option out there, making sure that everyone can join the party and participate in this shift towards green production!
That's how you can get mass-adoption, and Evolution Music knew that. Whether you own an old pressing plant or a state-of-the-art “green” pressing plant like our partners Deepgrooves, you can use PHA Vinyl for a one-of-a-kind sustainable music experience.
When will I actually receive the vinyl?
We are working out the new ETA through Evolution Music, who are the developers and are the only ones able to inform us of a final shipping date.
What is a "masterbatch"?
The Masterbatch is the final set of additives required to complete the compound.
The masterbatch allows the base material - e.g. PLA or PHA to work in a specific manufacturing environment. In this case - a pressing machine.
What is a "compound"?
The compound is the final product - basically, the base material, natural additives and Masterbatch combined.
Sources & articles linked to our projects:
Why this is so important.
INFORMATION & RESOURCES
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Fossil-fuel plastic production reached 416 Million tonnes in 2019 alone
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That year’s production cost $3.7 Trillion to society & the environment
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In the year 2021, the Netherlands exported 200.000 tonnes of plastic waste to third world countries.
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Fossil-fuel plastic takes lives of animals & humans, negates human rights, negates racial equality
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Evolution Music is a collective of music industry and sustainability experts who want to see the music industry EVOLVE to become sustainable, environmentally and socially responsible.
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The chemicals used in PVC are often extremely toxic (phthalates, metals like lead,...)
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Vinyl production uses 12 times the greenhouse emissions of other physical music media
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Deep Grooves is our pressing plant partner for this record, & is the greenest plant in activity, running on full renewable energy
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PHAs are a new type of bioplastic family, made by catering bacteria building blocks & giving them mission to produce a plastic-replication.
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An example of a ground-breaking biotech company making PHAs from actual carbon: Newlight Technologies
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More on PHA Vs. other polymers & biolymers chemical structure