My practical work ranges from experimental design of sustainable materials with a special focus on the specific qualities of waste materials as well as new future biocompatible materials and production techniques to the design of exemplary circular products and interior applications.
The aim of my work is to unveal hidden potentials of previously unused raw materials of our postindustrial consumer culture and to embed those in cyclic scenarios.
By highlighting specific qualities using a strongly material-focused object language, my objects tell the story of their origin.
With my work I would like to change the perception of waste and, through careful treatment, exemplify its appreciation.
Industrial nonwoven materials were created from a byproduct of textile tearing processes - synthetic fibre dust. The extremely short fibres are combined with Recycled PET-binding fibres using the low energy airlaid process. The non-woven-material is laminated with a fabric made of TREVIRA Sinfieco yarns to increase abrasion resistance. The new material is recycled, as well as still recyclable.
The dust is regularly fed to thermal recycling processes which generate energy.
However, the calorific value of the dust is marginal. This reuse does not seem adequate. The binding of the dust represents an extension of the life cycle of the textile waste materials.
By showing potential uses, new possibilities for products are opened up.
In internal workshop formats product ideas and utilisation scenarios for small and industrial series are currently developed with textile companies on the basis of these potentials.
For the cotton bowls, industrial yarn remnants were used to produce bowls in a hand lamination process in combination with a textile hardener.
Cotton yarns are used to create three-dimensional objects that not only reuse and enhance a residual material, but also fascinate with their material aesthetics, which moves between paper, textile and wood.
Due to the crossed layers of cotton yarns, the elegantly curved objects are very stable and at the same time extremely light. Due to an acrylic-based finish, the shells are conditionally resistant to moisture.
Inspired by the illuminant of old gas lamps the lampshade is the characteristic design feature of the of the extremely lightweight textile floor lamp mantle.
In a vacuum forming process the luminary is made out wool jersey that can be stretched in four directions. The fabric is streched onto a negative mould which is then solidified by impregnation.
The vacuum forming process creates a new material aesthetics – the textile structure of extremely stretchy wool jersey is papery.
The lampshade creates a warm, atmospheric light while the light source is not directly visible. In combination the reduced design and the natural aesthetics of the high-quality pear wood lathed foot the components are in perfect harmony.
During leather manufacturing, scraps are ground and then bound using natural latex. In a process similar to the production of paper, a special surface treatment is used to create a seamless product.
Unlike real leather, bonded leather features a flawless surface, a consistent thickness and uniform formats. The material is durable, resistant and has a comfortable soft feel. Over time a patina is created through its continued use.
To make these qualities visible, we have decided to use this high quality recycled material without lamination.
In the case study recreate textiles we developed a recycling material collection made from industrial cotton waste in cooperation with the terry goods manufacturer möve, the Saxon Textile Research Institute (STFI) and BASF Designfabrik.
In this way, we combine design expertise and technical know-how in an innovative process to offer solutions for a problem that affects the entire textile industry.
Usually, industrial cotton waste is burned. We think that this waste material is a valuable resource and therefore started our research in recycling possibilities.
Based on the special qualities of the waste materials, we designed ways of processing textile flock, tumbler fluff, yarn remnants and cut off edges into composite materials in prototypical experiments and different processes.
We used various bioplastics and therefore the resulting non-woven and natural fibre composite materials are not only biobased but also biodegradable.
Due to the material- and process specific coloured surfaces with their marbled structures the new materials are attractive for visible application in interior- and furnituredesign.
