So, how do the resources we use outgrow our use of them?
That is a question we constantly ask ourselves when searching for the next best biobased material. We visit farmers, inventors, makers and regenerative practitioners: visionaries developing new combinations of natural materials that offer biodiversity and ecosystem advantages, and people who use ancient wisdom to plant native trees and plants that benefit the soil and store as much carbon as possible.
Our goal is to find materials that not only preserve but also restore the ecosystems they are part of. Our dream is that eventually all the materials we use have a positive impact on the world. We create designs that celebrate the resilience of nature.
SeaWood Materials
A series of fibreboards made from brown seaweed.
SeaWood is a 100% natural, compostable and chemical free material. It is produced by the Blue Blocks team, based in BlueCity in Rotterdam. The material is based on the results of Project Maasplaat, which led to several product prototypes that were tested and validated by the market.
Blue Blocks aims to create massive positive climate impact in the building industry, by using the material for interior walls in homes and offices — not just minimising emissions, but removing existing CO2 from the atmosphere. To clean up and build from there. By using seaweed and residual green matter as the main components, this is possible.
Read more at blueblocks.nl
In the shop: SeaWood_Green and SeaWood_Blue, as shelf and box, in 30 and 60 cm. see the shop
Paulownia Wood
Paulownia seems like a miracle. It absorbs nearly 10 times more carbon than average wood, grows into a cabinet in just 10 years, and brings joy to bees.
Today. To start our biobaseddesign we work with paulownia from Europe, grown in Romania and handcrafted in Amsterdam (NL).
2034. We plan to grow our own field in Deest and Slootdorp (NL). You can pre_order your cabinet for the first Dutch paulownia harvest in 2034, which will be handcrafted in Amsterdam (NL).
In the shop: Paulownia_Wood, as shelf and box, in 30 and 60 cm. see the shop
BioM produced by VanHier
Our covers are created by local crafters in Loosdrecht (NL) using reed or grass clippings from various nature reserves in the Netherlands. We prevent the burning of these beautiful natural fibers, because there is an enormous amount of them every year, and we hope they will all be transformed into beautiful biobased design solutions.
Three ingredients are required to make a BioM sheet: natural fibers, a filler and a binder. Various natural fibers can be used, especially from plants or grasses, and every natural fiber has a unique appearance. VanHier uses cellulose from elephant grass as a filler, and the binding agent is also 100% natural and home compostable — it is obtained from plant waste.
Take care of the Earth and each other. This is only possible if we also take good care of the soil and the raw materials that the Earth gives us. VanHier contributes to a regenerative economy.
Be inspired at van-hier.com
In the shop: RMC_Cover, in six colours, in 30 and 60 cm. see the shop
City Wood is Stadshout Amsterdam
The most precious and beautiful pieces we obtain from Stadshout, the local sawmill in Amsterdam (NL), on a mission to give a new purpose to every piece of city wood. Stadshout is a small-scale sawmill with a processing capacity of 2500 m3. They saw tree trunks from the Amsterdam region into usable wood for projects and products within the region, in collaboration with local partners.
Stadshout is committed to optimizing the wood chain by increasing awareness and researching innovative wood applications, so that the wood is reused as high-quality as possible and not a single chip is wasted.
Their vision is a world where people realize that trees are inextricably linked to us. They are witnesses to our history and provide us with life force and raw materials. They have the right to a long life, and unnecessary felling must be prevented.
See their projects at stadshout.nu
In the shop: City_Wood, as shelf and box, in 30 and 60 cm. see the shop
Ecor
Ecor_Paper and Ecor_Fiber are available as shelf and box material in 30 and 60 cm. see the shop
Materials are chosen consciously. We never use resources that could better be used for food or other wiser functions, such as medical appliances, and we use materials to their full potential.
How we check whether a material is really good for the planet: our research