In London, design publication dezeen has included several biobased products in its annual list of most innovative materials. “The realities of climate change have driven another big year in material innovation in 2024,” according to the publication.
Winners include Christien Meindertsma, who has created Flaxwood tiles for brand Dzek, and design collective Nawa’s RePit, which uses waste date pits, Omani clay, and palm fibers to create 3D printing filament. The European Space Agency also got a nod for its work creating building block bricks out of lunar regolith. “Our teams are working towards the future of space travel and take inspiration from not just what’s above us, but also what we can find on Earth,” ESA science officer Aidan Cowley recently told dezeen.
Biofluff, a plant-based fake fur, also made the list for its inclusion in Ganni’s Bou bag. The material is made by extracting fibers from plants and agricultural waste that are subsequently treated with enzymes.
Finally, the SM2ART Nfloor cassette panel from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Maine is made from wood waste and bioplastic, and is suitable to replace conventional steel and concrete floor cassettes in high-rise buildings.