Tag Archives: natural material

Tableware gets a new innovation with walnut shell materials becoming the new normal

Posted on by

Designers love the term sustainability as it is their go-to when they can’t think of another way to sell their designs!! (I’m sure every designer would relate)

On a more serious note, they strive to construct a future along those lines because everyone is now aware of its importance and it is no longer a buzzword. Companies are now taking steps to ensure that their operations are sustainable, and governments are introducing regulations to encourage more sustainable practices.

Designers are becoming more aware of the value of a more in-depth, process-oriented approach. One such Korean designer observed the staple use of tableware in people’s lives and created a 100% natural material as an alternative to glass, ceramics, and other traditional raw materials used to manufacture tableware.

Designer: SooA Choi

Ceramics are the most used materials for the production of tableware. These materials are great but involve a lot of unsustainable properties concerning production. The material is complex to machine and can lose structural integrity if cut incorrectly or with the wrong tools. It requires high levels of expertise and leads to the wastage of raw materials. Machining ceramics and CMCs can be capital-intensive.

NOS is a mixture of walnut shells, pine resin, and Canauva Powder. It presents new CMFs with diverse colors, patterns, and light transmission as a result of grinding enormous volumes of walnut shells into various sizes. The primary binding agent is pine resin.

After being separated from the kernel, the shell of a walnut is considered waste and is discarded. The waste can be transformed into an entire plate from which to eat. Converting waste into a resource is an important aspect of sustainability.

The qualities of a walnut shell and wood overlap and can be used in everyday situations. Walnut shells are dry and hard, which works to their benefit since it stops insects from entering via holes and crevices, and it also makes them almost odorless. Pine resin is tree sap that is naturally antimicrobial and safe to consume in tiny doses. However, the soldering of pine resin is hazardous to one’s health and should be avoided during the manufacturing of NOS. Walnut shells are more durable than other natural materials, which wear away with frequent use.

The manufacturing technique for this material is quite simple and highly sustainable; no artificial additives are used. It only needs the appropriate ratio of binders, a mold, and ground walnut shells. To produce the required shape, the substance is poured into the mold. In the event of undesirable results during the NOS production process, the previous procedures can be repeated and no product is wasted. The completed form removed from the mold is fired at a high temperature of over 400 degrees to apply the glaze. Carnauba wax is poured onto it to increase durability and prevent scratches.

NOS is a versatile material used in various forms and sizes. As suggested it is used for tableware like small and large plates, glasses, vases, etc. It can also be used for other decors around the house since the aesthetic value of the finished piece complements a zen interior design.

The post Tableware gets a new innovation with walnut shell materials becoming the new normal first appeared on Yanko Design.

Zeefier is creating sustainable textile dyes from recycled seaweed waste

Posted on by

Everyone wears clothes and, regardless of your particular style or aesthetic inclinations, those clothes will often have one or more colors. While most of the materials used in textile could be considered sustainable or at least biodegradable, part of their production actually has a tremendous negative impact on the environment. It’s almost too easy to take for granted that the things responsible for our colorful attires harm both the planet and the humans working with these dyes. The need for safer and more sustainable ways to dye textiles has never been greater, and, as always, we only have to look to Mother Nature for the answers to many of the problems we have made for ourselves.

Designer: Nienke Hoogvliet

Despite its almost pejorative name, people have started to recognize the benefits of seaweed, at least beyond just an ingredient for food. True to its name, it is almost too easy to grow seaweed without the need for freshwater or agricultural land. And like any other plant, it purifies CO2 and produces life-sustaining oxygen. Seaweed has also become a favorite component in cosmetics these days, which has increased their use and, unfortunately, their waste.

The startup Zeefier is trying to fight two battles on different fronts. On the one hand, it is trying to promote the use of seaweed to solve many of the sustainability problems of the fashion industry, particularly in the use of synthetic dyes. On the other hand, it is also trying to avoid pushing “seagricultural” practices that could also harm the environment in other ways. So instead, the seaweed they are using for their 100% natural dyes is collected from food and cosmetic wastes, enabling a more circular economy that reduces the risk of growing or harvesting seaweed too much.

Given the nature of seaweed, some might doubt how varied the dyes produced from these plants can be. In truth, the potential colors do seem to sit on a specific range, but it isn’t at all limited as one might presume. There are, of course, browns and greens, but there are also oranges, purples, and even pinks. Despite the existence of red seaweed, red dye has proven to be a bit problematic so far. Blue, at least for now, seems to be out of the question, too.

There are apparently other bumps in the road in creating natural dyes from seaweed or any other organic material in general. There’s the potential discoloration over time, even if subtle. These natural substances also don’t seem to work well with anything but natural materials like cotton, silk, and wool. Perhaps it is a good thing in order to sway people away from synthetic textiles as well.

Fortunately, Zeefier is intent on developing the secret sauce to make seaweed-based dyes and textiles successful and commercially viable. This kind of sustainable thinking pushes bright minds to utilize the wealth of materials that the Earth provides us, especially the ones that are easily replenished. At the same time, Zeefier’s advocacy is also a testament to how an overabundance of anything can be harmful and that we don’t really need to grow or harvest more seaweed than what we’re already throwing away.

The post Zeefier is creating sustainable textile dyes from recycled seaweed waste first appeared on Yanko Design.

This sustainable packaging for eggs is inspired by stamps & made from paper foam!

Posted on by

Sustainable designs, especially packaging designs, are giving designers food for thought – very literally in some cases – to find solutions that can reduce waste and the burden on the planet! The Stamp Egg packaging stands out from the rest because it is detachable and made of PaperFoam which is sustainable, eco-friendly, low-carbon, highly recyclable, and home compostable material – it is truly egg-cellent!

Think of Stamp Egg as having your eggs individually wrapped but instead of plastic, it is a super sustainable and compostable material. It has all the necessary elements for an egg carton – easy open and close, protective form, and stackability. As the name suggested, it is inspired by a postage stamp that lets you tear out individual pieces from the collection, and now you can do it with your eggs.

This form also helps you save more space in the refrigerator and easily count the eggs without opening the package thus keeping them fresh for longer as they are less affected by temperature changes. Also, the separately packaged eggs can be easily packed for a picnic or in a lunch box without compromising on protectiveness or playing Jenga with the other items.

PaperFoam is a studio based in the Netherlands that specializes in making environmentally friendly packaging material widely used in electronics, cosmetics, medical devices, and food applications. The bio-based product is made out of starch, cellulose fibers, and water all with a very low carbon footprint. It can be composted or recycled at home with paper. Curious to learn more about this innovative material? Read about the manufacturing process, detailed benefits, and more here! 

“After experimenting with the material to enhance its look and its mechanical properties, I had to find a proper application for it. I aimed at designing a mass-produced everyday object within the packaging industry, which proved to be a successful field of application for PaperFoam as it was resistant, natural, and could be customized with branding,” says Yoon. “The purpose was to approach this project in a sustainable way, think about a valid and meaningful alternative to already existing products, combine maximum efficiency with aesthetic quality using an environment-friendly approach throughout the whole lifecycle.”

Compared to the cellulose-pulp, foam, or plastic boxes, the Stamp PaperFoam egg trays are lighter (beaten only by the Polystyrene ones) and emit much less carbon dioxide compared to their competitors (96% less than pulp, 91% less than PS, and 87% less than PET). Easy to achieve with the injection-molded manufacturing process, the product is cost-effective, energy-efficient, high-performing, and attractive!

The carton’s dimpled form accommodates individual eggs and prevents them from coming into contact with one another. An improved hinge holds the units together and makes the cups easy to separate into single independent boxes which saves space and keeps them fresh for longer. The name of the brand and the nutrient contents can be directly embossed on the material surface, saving on additional labeling costs and making recycling easier. Stamp is egg-straordinary!

Designer: Il-Seop Yoon

The post This sustainable packaging for eggs is inspired by stamps & made from paper foam! first appeared on Yanko Design.

This 3D printed urban reef is constructed from mycelium to increase biodiversity in cities!

Posted on by

Mycelium is a natural material taking over the sustainable design world one industry at a time! A Netherlands-based company is hopping on that train – they are experimenting with mycelium and computational design to create a series of 3D-printed urban reefs that will stimulate water circularity and biodiversity. In simpler terms, your concrete jungle where dreams are made of will be more jungle and less concrete so more living organisms can thrive!

Dutch designer duo Pierre Oskam and Max Latour came up with this innovative solution to make cities more biodiverse. It involves using natural materials to create structural ecosystems that can be integrated within existing environmental elements (eg. fountains). A 3D printer is used to create complex geometrical designs with porous materials like ceramics and composites (made from coffee grounds and mycelium). The moisture in the air is able to pass through and create the perfect environment for various fungi to grow thus bringing the structures to life!

“The most feasible option we are working with is ceramics, but since baking it requires a lot of energy we are investigating more sustainable alternatives,” says Latour. The studio is also experimenting with materials made from coffee and algae. At present, the team has developed two concept products as a result of their research, first in the form of the “Rain Reef” rain collector with an undulating shape that increases the contact area of the water and the potential hatching surface for vegetation.

“It is 3D printed with a porous material (made from a mixture of seeds, coffee grounds and mycelium), which can get saturated with the collected rainwater, making it accessible to vegetation growing on the outside,” explains Latour. “The intention is to develop a printable material which is porous, durable, sustainable and bio-receptive.”

The second product is the “Zoo Reef”, which Urban Reef intends as a substitute for fountains in cities. “There is a lot of potential for biodiversity stimulation around urban fountains,” says Oskam. “We propose a complex labyrinth of spaces which are all interconnected. By differentiation in sizes, orientation regarding sun, wind and rain, varieties of microclimates would develop.”

“Rather than determining top-down which organisms should live where, a range of potential habitats is generated.” They might be early in the research and development phase but Latour and Oskam’s Urban Reef project could have real-world applicators in the future. As an idea, it’s not so dissimilar from a living wall, except in this case the choice of materials and the structural design promotes their integration within cities without human intervention.

urbanreef1

“At Urban Reef we consider the city as a potential habitat to organisms, not exclusively humans,” the duo explains. “We position ourselves as human within the natural environment deviating from the modernist view of the human transcending nature. From that perspective, we aim to gain a profound knowledge of natural processes to both integrate those in our design methods as well as design with ecologies in mind.”

Designer: Pierre Oskam and Max Latour

urbanreef2

This outdoor sleeping bag and its packaging are made of 100% natural materials!

Posted on by



This sleeping bag is made of 100% natural, from the packaging to the last button. Thanks to our patented, innovative insulation made of RDS-certified down and wool, DownWool, we achieve the best sleeping climate. Down is light and has excellent insulation properties. Wool is insensitive to moisture and regulates the sleeping climate. In DownWool we combine the good properties of down and wool. All individual parts on the sleeping bag are OEKOTEX certified. At the end of its long life, the sleeping bag can be completely composted.

Back to nature. Grüezi bag wanted to create a sleeping bag made from 100% natural materials – from the packaging down to the last button: and they did it! You will be amazed at the sleeping conditions and the sense of well-being you get in the sleeping bag. Once you’ve slept in it, you’ll never want to come out!

Thanks to its natural materials, it feels pleasantly soft and its innovative DownWool filling, a mixture of down and wool, creates an outstanding sleep climate. The down ensures cozy insulation, the wool works like natural air-conditioning. Thanks to its overlapping design, the Nature can be opened entirely; this means that it is easier to get into the sleeping bag.

For extra comfort, its width can also be adjusted if you require more space. The pillow pocket is also great. Just insert a jacket or pullover here and you already have a non-shifting pillow. Have a fantastic sleep with the Nature in nature.

DownWool is an innovative high-end filling composed of 70% down and 30% wool. Down has a very high insulation capacity and a low weight. However, down only provides insulation as long as it is dry. With increasing humidity, the insulating effect of down is significantly reduced. The characteristic of wool is that it provides insulation and absorbs moisture. In this way, the down will stay dry and thus keeps its very high insulation capacity. With the unique mix of DownWool we achieve optimal insulation and a perfect dry sleeping climate with a low weight. The sleeping climate is decisive for sleep quality. The deeper and more relaxed your sleep, the more rested you will be the next morning.

Designer: Grüezi Bag

This sustainable material made from shell waste is cheaper & eco-friendly alternative to concrete!

Posted on by




Each year over 7 million tons of seashells are thrown away by the seafood industry into landfills. Shells are not biodegradable and have a very high disposal cost which harms the environment as well as the restaurant owners. So this innovative, women-run,  material lab called Newtab-22 created Sea Stone – a natural product made from seashell waste that was salvaged from the seafood and aquaculture industries. It is a sustainable alternative to using concrete – one of the biggest producers of carbon emissions – in the making of smaller products.

Sea Stone is made by grinding down shells that are destined for landfills before combining them with natural, non-toxic binders. This grants the material a terrazzo-like aesthetic. The aim is to make it a sustainable alternative to concrete in the design of small-scale products, as the two materials share similar properties. Seashells are rich in calcium carbonate aka limestone, which is used to make cement – a key ingredient of concrete.

The process involves grinding down the shells and mixing them with natural binders. They are then added to a mould and left to solidify into concrete-like tiles. This method is currently carried out manually to avoid the use of heat, electricity and chemical treatments and ensure the process is as sustainable and affordable as possible. It results in variations in the sizes, textures and colours of the shell fragments and means that each piece of Sea Stone is unique. You can get different textures by altering the number of shells, binders, or adding coloured dyes for aesthetics.

“Even though some of the seashells have been recycled and used as fertilisers, the majority of them are being thrown into landfills or by the seaside. The discarded seashells, which are uncleaned or rotten, have not been cleared away at all and they have been piling up near the beach for a long time, thus causing odour pollution and polluting the surrounding land in the long run. Sea Stone proposes the use of discarded seashells to create environmentally and economically sustainable material rather than contributing to the world’s rubbish problem,” explained Newtab-22.

Newtab-22 has experimented with an array of natural binders in the development of Sea Stone, including sugar and agar. It is now reliant on two undisclosed and patent-pending sources. The material is currently being developed for commercial purposes and has so far been used to make products such as decorative tiles, tabletops, plinths and vases.

While the properties of the concrete and Sea Stone are similar, to truly replicate the strength of traditional concrete required in large-scale projects like buildings, an energy-intensive heating process would be required. This would be comparable to the method used to make cement, which accounts for half of all the CO2 emissions that result from using concrete. “The power of the material is different, we do not want to harm the environment in the process or the outcome,” said Hyein Choi, co-founder of the studio.

Sea Stone is versatile, durable and a lightweight alternative to not only concrete but also plastic – it can be used to produce several objects while repurposing waste, reducing carbon emissions of the toxic counterpart materials and keeping the costs low. Time to find that girl who sells sea shells by the sea shore, eh?

Designer: Newtab-22