The biocomposite BioFold is made of textile waste and biobased plastics. The combination of origami and digital production techniques gives the material – besides the esthetics – important functional characteristics, such as carrying capacity, flexibility and acoustic qualities.
Made from
- The jute walls consist of 50% jute coffee bags from coffee roasters in Amsterdam and the Zaanstreek.
- The other 50% are PLA fibers, a biodegradable plastic.
Production process
- The jute coffee bags, in which the coffee came to the Netherlands, are fiberized and mixed with PLA fiber into mats, using ‘needle punching techniques’.
- With heat and pressure, the mats are processed into flat sheets.
- Using origami techniques and digital production techniques, Samira Boon transforms the flat sheet material until it finally has these beautiful shapes.
There’s a solution for the plastic soup: PLA, a biodegradable plastic
Applied
This design is currently mainly used as interior trim.
Environmental impact
- The material is completely biobased
- Has a long lifespan
- Is recyclable
- It is an upgrade of the burlap residual streams
Growth opportunities
BioFold’s jute walls are still unknown to the general public. It is a highly rated, fairly exclusive product. There are possibilities for upscaling, so it would be available at a lower price and to a wider audience. This also requires investment.