About 3 Sicilian oranges are used for each Ohmie, according to Wired. The peels are converted into a biopolymer developed in partnership with Autogrill, an international catering company. The biopolymer is then used to 3D print the lamps.
Orange peels were chosen because of their composition and relative abundance in the region. “The link between the base biopolymer made from the fermentation of vegetable starches and the added material from organic crops is they need sugars in order to bond,” Domiziana Illengo, Krill’s marketing manager, tells Wired. “Oranges are particularly rich in, not exactly sugar, but carbohydrates, which on a chemical level is basically the same thing. And so this helps us develop a sturdy material.”
She adds that the lamps smell vaguely of orange-flavored cookies.