The urgency to find solutions that tackle plastic pollution leverage new technological innovations that aim to reduce our dependence on oil-based plastics. Many of these alternatives are sourced from plants, for example, edible seaweed packaging, 3D printing from corn starch and inedible banana leaves used to wrap perishable food. However, although bioplastics such as these have a smaller carbon footprint than conventional plastics, there is still controversy caused by the fact that not all bioplastics are biodegradable or compostable.
Synthetic polymers
Plastic is versatile, inexpensive and convenient to use. For over 100 years, this innovative material has been unquestionably beneficial for many industries and is considered vital in modern-day society. First developed in the 19th century, the use of plastic accelerated with the development of industrial chemistry during the Industrial Revolution. Plastic has played a role in the majority of industrial sectors, from packaging to medical and pharmaceutical applications, clothing, cars, furniture and toys - plastic is everywhere. But unfortunately, so is the pollution that it causes, particularly in the case of single-use plastic.
In 2018, research revealed that around 380 million tonnes of the material was produced worldwide each year. From the 1950s to 2018, it is estimated that 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic was produced worldwide, of which only 9% was recycled and 12% incinerated. A large amount of plastic waste is disposed of in the sea, harming marine life and damaging habitats and biodiversity. Researchers suggest that by 2050 the weight of plastic in the oceans will succeed that of the fish.
Despite environmental campaigns intensifying as our seas become increasingly polluted, plastic continues to be produced. This begs the question - why, with the information and research readily available, does the amount of pollutants unsustainably discarded change so little? The ever-growing production of plastic can be attributed to population growth worldwide but, in recent years, some governments and industry leaders have introduced policies to ban single-use plastic. Despite this positive change, these commitments will likely reduce the annual flow of plastic pollution by only 7% by 2040. This is not nearly enough.
There are many questions that need to be answered in order to create a long-lasting solution. How can we find a sustainable and reusable alternative to plastic? How do we change the whole complex chain - from production, usage and collection to recycling and reuse? Is recycling the most effective way to reduce the production of virgin plastic?
It remains intangible at this stage to develop a lasting global strategy that is based on creating sustainable raw materials, relying less on fossil resources and reducing carbon emissions. A variety of different proposals surface daily, from the total elimination of plastics to the development of biodegradable substitutes using a circular model. However, each solution comes with its own advantages and disadvantages.
Bioplastics
Many scientists, researchers and material designers are focusing on bioplastics; rather than petroleum, bioplastics are plastics made from plants or other biological material, such as cornstarch, sweet potato, soybean oil, sugarcane, hemp oil or algae. Bio-based materials are promising as their feedstocks are renewable. Theoretically, their production process is more energy efficient than petroleum-based plastics and they can be composted or recycled. While the solution of replacing virgin plastics with bioplastics appears promising, some studies show that it is not as simple as it seems.
Biodegradable plastics are available in many grades with a wide variety of properties and, while many of these plastics can biodegrade, others cannot. For those that can, biodegradation is not a simple process as it requires the high temperatures available in an industrial composting facility. Furthermore, replacing fossil plastics with bioplastics requires fertilisers, pesticides and the expansion of agricultural land. On the flip side, there is abundant research showing that waste resources from existing industries, such as food and agricultural waste, are being utilised as raw materials for bioplastics. In this way, the production of bioplastics can reduce waste emissions and foster a more circular economy.
Soowon Chae
We invited designer Soowon Chae to offer his perspective on the importance of material design. Born in South Korea, Soowon Chae came to the Netherlands and studied at Design Academy Eindhoven where he developed the contemporary material Ocragela. The material consists of ochre, gelatin (which is made of leftovers from leather and meat production), glycerine, and water. Ocragela is biodegradable and can be used to make a variety of products from textiles to furniture and flooring.
'Ocragela: Red Ochre and a Wise Man' has been exhibited in prestigious design exhibitions and 'Plastigela' which is a follow-up version of Ocragela is being exhibited in "Embassy of Rethinking Plastic" an exhibition hosted byYksi Expo at Dutch Design Week 2020. Soowon Chae's project is a finalist for the Guiltless Plastic Prize 2020 by Rossana Orlandi and the ARC20 Furniture Award by De architect.
Soowon, thank you for speaking with me today. You’ve had an interesting journey within the design world so far - please tell us about how you became a material designer.
I grew up and lived in Seoul, which is one of the most populous metropolitan cities, before coming to Eindhoven to study design in 2015. In a standardised and systemised environment that is so distant from nature, I have sometimes felt a bit uncomfortable as if I was living in a tight and closed space. This discomfort makes me question all of the things that surround me. It naturally leads to curiosity and the seeking of the most primitive and original things in our life to face the forgotten and blurred values of today. My subjects of interest were narrowed down to myself and the environment around me. Based on these doubts and questions, I have approached design as a tool for finding out how the meaning and function of something changes over time and examining what is forgotten or disregarded today. I could train and further develop these approaches within the Man and Wellbeing Department at Design Academy Eindhoven. As the department’s slogan is ‘cool head and warm heart’, they put a special emphasis on the relationship and interaction between humans and nature. So, the practice to develop an idea through historical or conceptual research and material research based on humanism became one of the roots in my design.
In the process of learning I realised that material, which has an important role in conveying and presenting an idea or story, is critical in design. This is because the story and idea are invisible, but the material is directly tangible to people. In that sense, I came to an idea that material itself should be able to convey inspirations and stories to people and also the impact of the design can be more or less dependent on the designer's choice of materials.
I prefer not to apply techniques directly to existing materials but to experiment with the properties and ingredients of the material to explore various possibilities with an intuitive curiosity and creativity. It is my joy and the driving force of my design. I believe that this preference makes my ideas stronger and more authentic. So, I define myself as not only a conceptual designer but also as a material designer. My design work can be completed when those two aspects are merged together.
What characterises your work and how are you inspired?
I try to be more critical and careful when I am in the stage of researching and developing ideas. I also try to be extemporaneous and use my inner creativity when I am visualising and materialising the stories. The former is in the areas of logic and objectivity while the latter is from more emotional and personal areas. Using critique is the way of understanding the world and environment around me whilst being creative is a way of getting to know myself and my possibilities. I endeavour not to neglect either of them in the boundary of my design.
This way of thinking has developed through trial and error because I naturally have the idealistic perspective of a dreamer. So when that aspect stood out in my design work, there was a kind of imperfection and lack of interaction with people offering their input. For that reason, I started to think about how I could create more practical influences to today’s problems whilst keeping my own characteristics. I found a way by being more critical and practical when I think of problems and develop solutions. On the other hand, I give myself freedom when I am experimenting with materials, doing sketches and visualising ideas and designs. I use improvisation to add the emotions and messages which have been piled up in the process of developing ideas because I believe that this method makes my design thoroughly authentic and that is my goal.
For you, what is the importance of material design in today’s society?
We try to comprehend someone’s perspective and thoughts by looking at what they choose, buy and use. Contrary to when early human beings had to produce tools and find food for themselves by hunting and collecting, almost everybody today simply buys what they need. Within this systemised and developed society, manufacturing systems and customers have been distanced from each other. It is hard for customers to clearly know how products are produced and disposed of in this system and, for that reason, consumers now have to be more subjective and critical when buying and using products. In turn, producers have to be more responsible with their production and processing systems.
In this vein, I think that designers should be able to not only convey stories and suggest new ideas but also support the environment and earth in a sustainable way. Thus, selecting materials becomes a more crucial point in the design process. Even if designers don’t produce materials that they need by themselves, they should try to research and clearly understand the cycle of the materials that they use. In this point of view, I believe that material design is influential not only in the design field but also in our general life as an aspect of reinterpretation of traditional materials and development of new materials.
Ocragela consists of ochre, gelatin (which is made of leftovers from leather and meat production), glycerine, and water. What was the process to create this material like? What were the challenges that you encountered?
Though glycerin and gelatin are one of the most well-known ingredients when making bioplastics, creating a practical and usable material which has good qualities using only natural substances is not a simple task. It needs a lot of effort and experimentation with the help of professional facilities and expertise for the process to not just end with a sample. So I couldn’t expect the result the first time around and it was a kind of unknown journey.
I was inspired by the historical story about early human beings who had discovered various functions with red ochre. For example, they used red ochre as an adhesive agent mixed with pine resins to make strong tools. My own material research started with me experimenting with various natural ingredients and using ochre, gelatin and glycerine as the main substances.
Through many trials and errors, I found out that I can change the thickness, flexibility, colour and texture by changing the ratio, temperature and the way of mixing and pouring. I could make various samples which had different characteristics and properties. However, I thought that it was not enough to make a practical and applicable material, so I searched various companies who specialised in material development and found a company called GELATEX in Estonia. I had a chance to visit their studio, have discussions with their technicians and use a laboratory to develop my materials for 2 weeks. We ran tests to find the ideal proportions and combinations of various substances based on my first samples and finally discovered the ideal proportions and ingredients. After coming back to Eindhoven, I visited STAHL in the Netherlands to do a quality test in their company.
So, what I want to say is that, when intuitive material research and unexpected but joyful trials meet professional expertise and help, not only interesting but also practical results can be produced.
When did you start thinking about this project and what were the problems that you wanted to address?
This project was developed from one of my previous projects ‘Retroact: A Pig Trapped in the Cube’. Its process from making pigments to drawing a pig with those pigments was a sort of ritual to convey an apology and gratitude to livestock that have been devastated by our distorted capitalism-first framework.
I went further to research and compare the differences in production and consumption between early human beings and people of today and discovered an interesting point about the relationship between red ochre and prehistoric mankind. Early human beings had developed various functions for red ochre, such as a tool of expression, curing wounds and pains, as a tanning agent for animal hide, an adhesive agent for making tools and protecting their skins from the sun and insects. It was also used as a symbol in ritual ceremonies. All of these functions were developed and implemented under the ideology of survival by observing nature: protecting themselves by co-existing with the earth.
I wanted to use ochre not only as a colouring agent, but also as a tribute to the curiosity and creativity of prehistoric mankind and the respect they showed for nature. Gelatin, the second main ingredient of Ocragela, is often regarded as a kind of ‘inferior’ residual product from the meat-processing industry and leather-making industry. That is precisely why I chose it as a main ingredient to create a sustainable material with completely new possibilities. With newly-developed material Ocragela, I want to reform the stereotyping and commercial value of gelatin and to question its authentic values to help create a better world.
You created a versatile material that can be used to make a variety of products from textiles to furniture and flooring. Can Ocragela be considered a bioplastic and are you continuing to research this material?
Ocragela was first applied as an upholstery material to show that it can be used like leather and other textile materials and, in the process of upholstering, I learnt about its characteristics more thoroughly. For example, in the material testing lab, we discovered that Ocragela is flexible, reacts well to the shape of the structures and has good elasticity so it can be used to create a variety of products. I am constantly contacted by various companies and studios in the fashion, interior design and furniture industry about material-use opportunities.
My plan is to expand the potential of Ocragela by collaborating with various companies to further develop its characteristics and applications in various fields. For this, I want to develop the coating first so that Ocragela can be used within the industrial level not only for indoor use but also for outdoor use. However, making a waterproof coating using only natural substances (e.g. beeswax and carnauba wax) is not an easy challenge. If I use chemical coatings, it would be easy to improve Ocragela like other materials at industrial level, but I don’t want to lose my ideas and concepts promoting sustainability. So I am going to keep developing the coating materials by contacting and collaborating with companies who specialise in sustainable coating methods.
To reduce the environmental impact of using non-biodegradable plastic waste, more designers are addressing this issue and creating new materials. For you, what is the meaning of sustainability and what are the essential points that a designer should think about to achieve more sustainable solutions?
Nature itself exhibits the ultimate natural cycle. In Earth’s naturally cyclical system, sustainability is a normal phenomenon so, if we respect nature and follow her lead, a sustainable future could be naturally realised. Designers who play a role of producer and messenger should try to have an interest in the circumstances and environmental issues of today and produce proper visions for the better world. As sustainable designs and systems are required more and more, designers should be able to reflect their thoughts and views about sustainable issues into their designs beyond simply suggesting a new concept and think of their roles within this circular cycle of life and nature.
Designers are developing plastic alternatives and thinking not only of the material’s usage but of the entire circular model. How do you see a circular economy and design? Do you think it is challenging to achieve this aim?
As a designer, I think that it is not easy to present a whole circular model for the environment and society on my own, rather than simply presenting a concept or new design. As lots of dots are needed to create a circle, both the help of the right experts and critical research are crucial to creating a whole circular model. In this vein, designers should develop the ability to not only be a producer but also a director. As the ways of conveying messages are in the boundary of design, designers also should be able to make their designs more convincing and interesting to the public through their individual design languages.
At last, what I realised through my experiences is that designers should be careful not to take shortcuts when they encounter challenges and to question themselves continuously about their choices at every step. As circularity is one of the distinct characteristics of nature, the circular design also has no end but a structure that grows and develops organically. In that sense, circular design should keep developing without being stopped and adapting to the changing circumstances in the world. Designers should lead and help that movement.
How was your experience in using a by-product of leather production and meat processing? How do you transform waste into new material and what is your advice for designers who are developing materials from waste?
Gelatin is derived from collagen extracted from the prolonged boiling of skin, cartilage and bones of animals. It is primarily left over from the meat industry and nowadays is used as a gelling agent in food, cosmetics and medication. So, gelatin is basically used as a supplement and it is regarded as a ‘inferior’ residual material that is a residue from the other commercially valuable industries, such as those that produce meat and leather. I especially paid attention to this situation; there were some cases in which raw materials polluted by various harmful chemicals from leather factories were directly used in gelatin-making factories. These polluted gelatins were used in jelly-producing factories because the use of industrial residues in food-making factories was not illegal. I want to question this cycle of usage of gelatin and the authenticity of its commercial value.
I thought about the problems of the capitalist system because, due to the intangible nature of the production system, consumers only see the colourful and sweet desserts made from gelatin without knowing what is going on in the manufacturing system. I want to suggest and develop new sustainable materials with gelatin as one of the main ingredients. I think that it could be a solution to the issues in the textile industry caused by chemical dyeing and processing through creating a recyclable and biodegradable textile material which can be used as leather and other synthetic textile materials.
My advice for those who are starting to develop new possibilities from waste is not to lose or miss the perspectives about circular design in the whole process of developing their designs. Using waste as a material is to create a new sustainable path and this path should be extended further into another cycle with new possibilities, and so on.
What will be your next projects and goals?
Even though Ocragela has been developed and has shown many possibilities for 1 year, there are more things to be discovered and improved. As it was a newly developed material, I could discover new properties and characteristics of Ocragela whenever I used and applied it in different situations and for different purposes. I keep thinking about how I can develop its durability and waterproofness by not only researching and experimenting with new ideas but also collaborating with other professionals in different fields. I have presented a new variant of Ocragela, called Plastigela, which is made of the same ingredients of Ocragela with added colours from recycled plastics. The characteristics and properties of Plastigela, the texture, colour, and flexibility, are different from Ocragela’s so I am looking forward to seeing other possibilities and applications through the new material.