<?php
$smart = 'colors-is-red-or-pink-or-blue-or-tortoise/form-is-elliptical-or-rectangular/material-is-plastic';
foreach(explode('/', $smart) as $part) {
$def = explode('-is-', $part);
$varname = $def[0];
$$varname = explode('-or-', $def[1]);
}
print_r( $colors );
print_r( $form );
print_r( $material );
Array ( [0] => red [1] => pink [2] => blue [3] => tortoise ) Array ( [0] => elliptical [1] => rectangular ) Array ( [0] => plastic )
$colors = array('red', 'pink', 'blue', 'tortoise');
$form = array('elliptical', 'rectangular');
$material = array('plastic');