As part of the environmental revolution that began in recent years, our awareness of recycling and green consumption has increased, whether it is products that are made from natural materials that can be recycled or distributed to different bins to facilitate recycling. Eggshell is one of the most common waste materials that is being dumped every day around the world. Whether coming from private homes, restaurants or the food industry. Therefore, I decided to explore and to transform it into an industrial material that can be used for various purposes and replace other non-recyclable materials.
I began to study the material physically and found that it was possible to reach many textures, smooth or grainy. The main challenge with this kind of material was, first of all, to understand the material, feel it, learn it, and mainly remember that it’s not plastic. The material appeared to be more durable when combined with other material. I searched for the right binder, which also 100% biodegradable and that does not detract from the qualities of the materials I already have, which are honey, flour, starch, etc. The binder I chose is Kaolinite which is kind of a clay.
After the study of the material itself, the design process began, in which I tried to think how it would best reflect the qualities of the material, which led me to think of the simple plastic pots that we buy at the supermarket and last between two weeks and a month at best. A short life product made of plastic in a better environment material that will make its recycling much easier and more logical, and I see how in the not too distant future the eggshells will be separated from the rest of the trash and will enable the rapid production of this material. I have come to surfaces that resemble the terrazzo style and this has enabled me to reach interesting and colorful surfaces and create a wide range of possibilities and inspired me to continue.
I believe it’s important to spread the knowledge and development of biodegradable based material to raise awareness among industrial designers to work with such materials for benefit of our planet.