Sea Stone is a concrete-like material made from shells
Newtab-22 has used waste seashells salvaged from the seafood and aquaculture industries to develop a sustainable material that resembles concrete. More
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Tômtex is a leather alternative made from waste seafood shells and coffee grounds
Vietnamese designer Uyen Tran has developed a flexible bio-material called Tômtex, a leather alternative made from food waste that can be embossed with a variety of patterns to replicate animal leathers. More
Dewi van de Klomp's foam furniture morphs and sags in response to its contents
Books, plates and glasses are engulfed by the squishy shelves of Dutch designer Dewi van de Klomp's Soft Cabinets, which are made from foam rubber in a bid to bring more attention to the "overlooked" material. More
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Mále Uribe explores the materiality of extreme landscapes for VDF and Design Museum
Chilean architect Mále Uribe presents three short films and a conversation about her research on art and design's relationship with extreme landscapes in this Virtual Design Festival collaboration. More
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Eliza Hague designs inflatable origami-like greenhouses from bamboo and shellac
Design student Eliza Hague has created a concept for inflatable greenhouses made from shellac-coated bamboo paper to help residents of Jaipur, India, grow their own food. More
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Nataša Perković makes textured furniture from palm oil byproducts
Bosnian designer Nataša Perković recycled the fibrous waste from palm oil factories to create the Reclaimed Oil Palm collection, which was made using as little material as possible. More
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Blood leather by Natalie Zipfl
Natalie Zipfl has used pig blood and gelatine to develop a striking and sustainable material called Blood leather. More
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Mexican students build low-cost solar lamps from natural waste materials
Six students from the Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico have designed low-cost solar lamps made from mud, beans and cactus slime for people living in isolated rural areas with limited electricity. More
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"There are no sustainable materials" says Material Library founder Björn Florman
As part of Virtual Design Festival's collaboration with Stockholm Design Week, the founder of the Material Library in Stockholm reveals what Scandinavian designers look for when they visit, and discusses environmentally friendly materials. More
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Studio ThusThat's work unearths potential of the material world
VDF studio profiles: scientific research meets design at Studio ThusThat, a multidisciplinary practice whose work exposes the hidden potential in the material world. More
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Newtab-22 uses seashells to develop concrete alternative
Sea Stone is a concrete-like material made from seashells that Newtab-22 is introducing during the VDF x Ventura Projects collaboration. More
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Imperfect Perfection lighting range is made using bacteria
Studio Lionne van Deursen is presenting a material research project and lighting range made using bacteria for VDF x Ventura Projects. More
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Mále Uribe Forés makes wall tiles from Chilean desert salt
Chilean architect Mále Uribe Forés has turned salt into reactive wall tiles that will crystallise and grow over the course of her Salt Imaginaries installation. More
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Rie Sakamoto knits rubber bands together like yarn for elastic garments
Japanese designer Rie Sakamoto replaced yarn with rubber bands for her knitted fashion collection, which aims to showcase this stationary item's overlooked qualities. More
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RCA students develop SaltyCo sustainable fabrics using seawater plants
Students from the Royal College of Art have made fabrics from plants grown in seawater, providing a potential solution for the currently freshwater-intensive fashion and textile industries. More
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Kaldewei combines steel and glass to create easy-clean bathroom surfaces
Dezeen promotion: German manufacturer Kaldewei has developed a patented version of steel enamel that prevents mildew and discolouration from latching onto bathroom surfaces. More
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Five projects that use latex in weird and wonderful ways
Since Harikrishnan's inflatable trousers blew up on the internet last week after first being featured on Dezeen, we've rounded up five latex projects – spanning fashion, accessories and installations – that use the material in surprising ways. More
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Kenoteq launches brick made almost entirely of construction waste
Scottish startup Kenoteq has launched the K-Briq – a more sustainable building brick that is unfired and made of 90 per cent construction waste. More
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Julia Olanders makes "toxic" vases from insulation foam and concrete
Stockholm-based designer Julia Olanders has used construction materials that are usually hidden in buildings to create a series of decorative vases for her Betweenness project. More
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Generate and Placetailor to build carbon-neutral CLT apartment block in Boston
Architecture studio Generate and developer Placetailor have unveiled plans to build a carbon-neutral apartment block in Boston using a cross-laminated timber "kit of parts". More
