Topic: Upcycle

Nuclée

Lamp From Banana and Bamboo Fibers – Designer Dorian Etienne learned about a way of processing banana fiber in Hualien, a city on the east coast of Taiwan, and incorporated this method into the design of his lamps. The banana flesh is given a high strength by drying and refining and can therefore be used in many ways. Subsequent sublimation provides[...]

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MILK MaterialLab Nuclée Lampe Dorian Etienne MILK-MaterialLab-Nuclée-Lampe-Dorian-Etienne-5

Beeswax wipes

Alternative to Aluminium Foil and Cling Film – Driven by the idea of reducing their own need for plastic and disposable bags, the two Berliners Anna and Chelsea started making beeswax cloths. The space-saving and reusable method is lower in CO2 in its production compared to conventional reusable solutions such as jars. To make the beeswax cloths durable and biodegradable, a piece[...]

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MILK MaterialLab Wax Wrap Bienenwachstücher MILK-MaterialLab-Wax-Wrap-Bienenwachstücher-4

Piñatex

Leather From Pineapple Scraps – Piñatex was developed by the British company Ananas Anam, a manufacturer of natural textiles from the by-products of the pineapple harvest. With her development, Dr. Carmen Hijosa not only wanted to give an unappreciated waste a use, but also to generate maximum benefit with the smallest possible ecological footprint. The cradle-to-cradle aspect was a[...]

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MILK MaterialLab Ananas Aman Piñatex Dr. Carmen Hijosa MILK-MaterialLab-Ananas-Aman-Piñatex-Dr.-Carmen-Hijosa-7

Ventri – Cow Stomach

Cow Stomach Textured Leather – Dutch designer Billie van Katwijk produces special handbags from cow stomachs using an elaborate tanning process. For her project Ventri, luxurious accessories are created from the slaughterhouse leftovers that were previously processed into dog food. Particularly surprising is the visual appeal and extraordinary texture of the waste product. Accordingly, the different properties of the[...]

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Coconut Water Leather

Leather From Coconut Water – To produce the biodegradable and waterproof Coconut Water Leather, the coconut water, which is a waste product of coconut processing, is sterilized. The natural substance obtained from this serves as a nutrient for the bacterial culture in the subsequent 12-14 day fermentation process. Once the process is complete, the leaf cellulose jelly obtained can[...]

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Chicory Plastic

Plastic From Chicory Waste – Chicory is known as a salad, not so much as a raw material for plastics. The root of the plant usually ends up in the composting plant. Only a fraction is used to produce biogas from it. Researchers at the University of Hohenheim have discovered the chicory root as a resource for obtaining hydroxymethylfurfural[...]

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MILK MaterialLab Chicorée Hochschule Hohenheim

VEIO

Textile Shells – The scarf series VEIO, processed by turning, was created by Kathin Morawietz‘s idea of pressing the layers of old textiles together by a thin layer of glue. In the process, these become a dense block that retains the feel of the fabric and makes it a visually unique piece. Once the material is strong[...]

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Gum-tec

Chewing Gum Recycling – Gumdrop Ltd. has set itself the goal of eliminating rubber emissions by recycling all types of chewing gum waste and processing it into a variety of products in collaboration with companies and manufacturers worldwide. In a new process, the recycled chewing gum is turned into the material Gum-tec, which can be processed into items[...]

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Algae Offset Ink

Algae Printing Ink – This algae-based ink replaces petroleum-derived pigments used in conventional offset ink and have a much smaller carbon footprint. The project was carried out jointly by the Patagonia brand and Living Ink. After a successful test run, 8,000 brochures were printed on a 100% PCW recycled paper. Living Ink. has been working on algae-based ink[...]

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MILK MaterialLab Algae Offset Ink Cast Iron

Ponto Biodesign

Bacterial Cellulose Film – Ponto Biodesign offers a sustainable alternative to plastic-based packaging materials. It is obtained from a mixture consisting of water, bacterial and yeast cultures (scoby), which – spread on a smooth surface and dried – produces a bacterial cellulose film with paper-like properties. On contact with water, the material develops an adhesive effect that can[...]

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MILK MaterialLab Ponto Biodesign Elena Amato

Waste Vault Pavilion

Pavilion Made From Recycled Beverage Cartons – On the occasion of the IDEAS City Festival in New York in 2015, beverage cartons were cut up and pressed into plates by heat. These formed an environmentally friendly pavilion that had tremendous strength due to the plastic coating on the recycled cardboard. The recycling concept was developed and implemented by Prof. Dirk Hebel[...]

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MILK MaterialLab Waste Vault Pavilion ETH Zuerich

Ocean Bottle

Plastic Bottle Thermos – With its reusable water bottle, the Ocean Bottle company is making a contribution to counteracting the increasing plastic pollution of the oceans. Made from recycled biomaterial and plastic waste, the Ocean Bottle itself can dive into the recycling loop. The recycling idea is complemented by the promise that 1,000 more plastic bottles will be[...]

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