plastversjonen

Plastversjonen is a term used in Nordic design and production contexts to denote a plastic version of a product, artwork, or prototype. The word combines plast, meaning plastic, with versjonen, meaning version, and it is used to describe a variant produced primarily in plastic for testing, demonstration, or distribution.

In practice, a plastversjonen serves as an affordable, rapidly produced stand-in for more expensive or fragile media during early development. It is commonly created with plastics such as PLA, ABS, or PETG, using 3D printing or injection moulding, enabling quick iterations and scalable replication. The approach emphasizes speed, manufacturability, and mass production potential, while tradeoffs include surface finish, strength, and material behavior compared with final versions.

History and usage: The concept grew with the expansion of rapid prototyping and plastic manufacturing in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Today, plastversjonen is used across product design, architecture models, education, and arts practice to visualize form and function before committing to more durable or costly materials.

Environmental and critical aspects: Debates focus on plastic waste, lifecycle impacts, and the balance between disposable prototyping and sustainable alternatives. Proponents note accessibility and feedback benefits, while critics warn against overreliance on single-material strategies and overlook of long-term sustainability.

See also: Rapid prototyping, 3D printing, plastic design, prototyping.