Mycelium Planters
Grown from a mycelium-inoculated hemp substrate, this herb planter is entirely compostable. Complete with drainage holes and handmade ceramic garden markers.
My first exploration into designing with bio-materials for the home. I love growing herbs in my apartment but wanted to eliminate plastic use. A process that involved making my own moulds made of cardboard and, admittedly, a lot of plastic packing tape... Although if this were to be produced again and again, a reusable mould would be made. Mycelium is food safe and is actually a part of the process for making tempeh, which is similar to tofu.
Alginate Bio-yarn Candle Holder
Bio-yarn and bio-fabrics are a relatively new material, artists and designers are experimenting to use it as a plastic alternative. I made this bio-yarn at a biomaterials workshop and brought home several strands to experiment with. Weaving the dried strands together was difficult, air bubbles in the strands created weak points which led to breaking. The colour was achieved using a beetroot pigment.
The texture is rubbery, almost like silicone but more like Allen's gummy snakes. Bio-yarn is technically edible and formulated to be compostable or water soluble depending on the recipe.
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