Vegan materials were once a niche market but now they can be found everywhere while keeping the standards of texture, durability, and performance. This investment into researching new sources has led to innovative discoveries and the implementation of alternative resource models. Leading businesses to redefine their approach to materials, especially when it comes to food waste. A highly valuable resource that can be fed back into certain manufacturing and energy systems, reducing costs and environmental impact.
Some emerging bio-materials include:
- Malai is a bio-composite made from bacterial cellulose fed with agricultural coconut waste
- Bananatex by Qwstion is a durable, waterproof fabric made purely from banana plants
- Nuatan is a 3D-printed compostable bioplastic made of cornstarch, sugar and used cooking oil that is compostable in soil or seawater.
By exploring developments in the field of bio-materials, we at Colour Insights can identify how this will shift markets for architectural design and decoration. To better track and understand how trends can impact your business visit the Workshops section of colourinsights.com to learn more.
"Design must become an innovative, highly creative, cross-disciplinary tool responsive to the true needs of men. It must be more research oriented, and we must stop defiling the earth with poorly designed objects and structures." Victor Papanek. Author, Design for the Real World.
Providing innovative and sustainable solutions are an integral component to a successful business in the current climate. An example of this in the architectural and design industry would be a woman-led company that won UNEP’s (The UN Environment Program) Young Champions of the Earth (2020) for Africa. Gjenge Makers Ltd was started following the development of a prototype machine that turns discarded plastic into paving stones creating 112 job opportunities. One day at the factory means 1,500 plastic pavers, prized not just for the quality (they can hold twice the weight of concrete blocks!), but for how affordable they are. Sorya Smaoun from UNEP said “Nzambi Matee’s innovation in the construction sector highlights the economic and environmental opportunities when we move from a linear economy, where products, once used, are discarded, to a circular one, where products and materials continue in the system for as long as possible.”
The Added Value Of A Circular Economy
A circular economy provides a system in which markets are incentivized to reuse products. Avoiding continued waste by scrapping materials only to extract new resources to make them again. The value of a circular economy is that all forms of waste, whether that be plant-based, food or otherwise, are returned to the economy or reused more efficiently.
Key question to ask yourself, how could you prioritize sustainability and create a relationship with your product post sale?