Ramie fibres, from the stem of a plant in the nettle family, growing 1-2.5 m tall and native to eastern Asia, have been used for fabric, string and rope, bowstrings, and more recently as reinforcement in polymer composites.
Ramie fibres are from the stem of a flowering herbaceous perennial in the nettle family, growing 1-2.5 m tall and native to eastern Asia. They are used for fabric, string and rope, bowstrings, and more recently in polymer composites. Ramie is one of the oldest fibre crops, having been used for at least six thousand years,
Tout tiang bark produces a glue when crushed which is typically used for making incense sticks
The bark is harvested from a local plant belonging to the Urticaceae family, the exact species is not known but likely Boehmeria malabarica or Debregesia longifolia. The shrub grows in tropical environments by streams or rivers. Note that tout tiang bark is easily depleted as currently it is not grown as a plantation, instead harvested wild.
Uses
Glue for sticking the saw dust and oils to make an incense stick. It is known that Laos villagers collect from their local forest and sell the bark to Chinese manufacturers.
The glue is allegedly also used in bamboo paper making to glue the adhesives together
Potential Uses
No new uses as yet identified by authors. Your contributions welcome!
Processes
It seems minimal processing is carried out although information is not readily available:
Bark is sun dried
Bark is crushed
It is boiled in water resulting in the gluey substance
Any fibres / bits of bark are removed to leave just the glue
Reindeer moss can be used dried for decoration, crafts and as an alternative to bubble wrap in packaging
Reindeer moss can be used dried for decoration, crafts and as an alternative to bubble wrap in packaging.
The reindeer moss is actually a lichen, latin name Cladonia rangiferina. It grows mainly in Alpine regions although it can grow in warmer climates. Harvest should be done conscientiously given lichen is slow growing (3–11 mm per year) and may take decades to return. [1]
Uses
Predominantly used for decorative purposes in floristry and crafts.
The dried moss is also an effective product protector in packaging.
Candelilla wax is derived from the waxy layer of the Candellila shrub leaves. It grows in arid areas of Northern Mexico and Southwestern United States. The wax is used in cosmetics, electronics, foods (e.g. Chewing gum), paints, sealing waxes, dyes etc.
Candelilla wax is derived from the waxy layer of the Candellila shrub leaves. It grows in arid areas of Northern Mexico and Southwestern United States.
Uses
The wax is used in cosmetics, electronics, foods (e.g. Chewing gum), paints, sealing waxes, dyes etc.
Bamboo, both as whole culms and shaped bulk material from the culm walls, has many uses throughout native growing areas where it is quick growing and easy to work with; from building structure and scaffolding to smart phone cases.
Uses
[Historical and contemporary]
Whole culm:
Structure of simple buildings, including
Scaffolding
Shaped bulk material:
Opened out culm as flooring/wall/divider panels
'String' (thin slices, with interesting property that to 'tie' you only need to twist a few times and the fibres bind together when you release)
Chopsticks: turned
Flooring
Chopping boards
One brief research on bamboo by a Product Design student in HK can be found (authorized): Catalgue_Bamboo
Rattan is a plant similar to bamboo found in the rainforest which is light, durable and flexible. It is widely used in furniture and handcrafts either woven or as is.
Rattan is a plant similar to bamboo found in the rainforest which is light, durable and flexible. It is widely used in furniture and handcrafts either woven or as is.
Rattan refers to around 600 species belonging to the palm family. Most rattan species are native to the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Australia although varieties differ according to region. Commercially-used rattan usually grows in tropical regions of South and Southeast Asia, with major producers being Indonesia and Vietnam.
Rattan growing in Laos Rainforest
There are different types of rattan palms, such as high or low climbers, single stemmed or clustered rattan species. Some have very short and underground stems. Several rattan species are known to reach lengths of 100m.
Uses
Below are some traditional uses:
Furniture such as tables and chairs
Handcrafts such as baskets, bowls, belts etc
Housing for walls
String
Dye made from certain rattan fruit resin called Dragon Blood
The fruit resin also allegedly has medicinal properties. The inner and shoot of some rattan species is edible. The larger rattan are a source of safe drinking water in the jungle.
Potential Uses
A unexpected contemporary use is for bone transplant. A team of researchers in Italy have patented its use as a human bone. The rattan has similar strength, porosity and flexibility as bone meaning that blood vessels and tissue can penetrate. The process they developed uses the Calamus rotang species of rattan. The lignin and cellulose are removed and then treated to create hydroxyapatite, the same mineral that makes up human bones.
Processes
Rattan is an attractive resource because it is easier to harvest than timber and grows faster than trees. It is a vine so it’s survival is predicated on the presence of trees and it therefore indirectly protects tree cover.
For traditional uses minimal processing is required:
Rattan canes with small diameters are dried in the sun and often smoked using sulphur.
Large canes can be boiled in oil to make them dry and to protect them from insects.
Straw is an agricultural by-product, the dry stalks of cereal plants, after the grain and chaff have been removed. Straw makes up about half of the yield of cereal crops such as barley, oats, rice, rye and wheat.
Straw used to be a by-product of cereal plant and have multiple use in farm industry including livestock bedding. However due to the vast number of alternatives, more farmer would burn the rice straw instead of using it for other purpose. This is a waste of material as well as potential fire hazard.
Uses
Historical use: Rice straw has many uses, including fuel, livestock bedding and fodder, thatching and basket-making.
Potential use: Making of Fibre board with hot pressing and binding resin. Some also use it as naturally grown straws for drinking.
Process
Making of rice straw fibre board involves machines to cut straw into pieces smaller than 1cm and then a grinder to grind it in powder. It is then dried and mixed with binder. Under high pressure and heat the fibre board is moulded into products for finishing.
Leaves fallen naturally from the Arecanut palm tree can be heat-pressed into 100% biodegradable items such as plates, bowls and cups, with no adhesive or coating required.
Areca catechu is a species of palm which grows in much of the tropical Pacific, Asia, and parts of east Africa.
Common names: areca (nut) palm, betel palm (because its fruit, the areca nut, is often chewed along with the betel leaf), Indian nut, Pinang palm, 檳榔, கமுகு (bunga), pinang, கமுகு, kamuhu, adakka, adike.
100% natural material (0 chemicals used in manufacture)
100% direct solar energy used in manufacture reasonably easily
Hold liquids up to around 5 hours
Thermally insulating so good for holding hot (or cold) food
Microwave oven safe
100% Biodegradable (compostable/decomposable) within 2-3 months
Uses
Traditional occasional use vessels: “Hat palathoppi” in souther India
Contemporary single use Food containers: Plates, bowels,cups, trays
Potential Uses
Phone/Pad case?
Book covers?
Panels: bonded together with natural adhesive (like papier-mâché) for architectural/automotive interiors etc?
Please comment below with any other Research, Exploratory/student projects, Ideas…
Process
1. Collect freshly fallen leaves of Arecanut / Adaka palm tree (trees do not need to be cut down). The leaf which covers the fruit may be the highest quality for this use.
2. Wash off dirt. Turmeric can be used as a disinfectant.
3. Air dry, stretch out and flatten. (*need more information on this step)
4. Shape using heated press with metal mold. Multiple items may be possible from each leaf.
5. Wash clean again and cut off excess.
6. Sun dry
Bioluminescent bacteria are being explored as a potential source of non-electrical lighting.
Bioluminescence is light emission by living organisms, which include bacteria, glow-worms, fireflies, and 80%+ of marine organisms.
Bioluminescent bacteria are being explored as a source of non-electrical lighting. Bioluminescence is a property of certain bacteria expressed most commonly in bacteria inhabiting sea creatures although freshwater and terrestrial examples exist. Designers are investigating the possibilities for their use in lighting products.
Uses
Only speculative / demonstration projects known of so far.
Potential Uses
Designers have been trialing lighting products using biolumiscent bacteria however challenges persist of low luminosity and the design of bacteria friendly environments. Suggested potential uses are for low level lighting such as road strip lighting and parking lots or where space constraints are less of an issue such as street lighting. There may be a range of domestic / commercial / external uses where low level lighting is needed which is natural / sustainable, has relaxing and soothing properties and may reduce light pollution.
Processes
There have been several examples of lighting products using different bacteria, each with their unique food source and habitat. For instance, Phillips designed a microbial home in which they exhibited bacterial lights fed by methane from human fecal and kitchen waste.
Another example is a pendulum light containing bacteria found on octopus tentacles which lights up when fed with oxygen and in motion. The light was designed using weights to create the pendulum effect when swung, lasting approximately 20 minutes. The lights contained synthetic sea water for the bacteria to live in.
More Information
https://www.glowee.eu/ – French biotech company engineering micro-organisms to make them more efficient in terms of light production (intensity, stability, capacity).
“Philips biolight concept taps bioluminescence for home use”. New Atlas. http://newatlas.com/philips-bio-light-concept-taps-bioluminescence-for-home-use/20632/. Retrieved 28 June, 2017.
“A light whose light comes from bioluminescent bacteria” (January 13, 2015). Wired. https://www.wired.com/2015/01/lamp-whose-light-comes-bioluminescent-bacteria/. Retrieved 28 June, 2017.
Bacterial production of nano-metals is a growing field of research because of its advantages over current chemical or physical manufacture processes.
Bacterial production of nano-metals is a growing field of research because of its advantages over current chemical or physical manufacture processes. Bacterial production offers an alternative process in a more benign environment, it does not produce toxic waste and has lower energy requirements. Nonetheless, the process is not yet competitive because production time is longer or produced nanometals are not stable.
Uses
There are many potential uses of nanometals in medicine, optics, electronics and heavy metal waste clean up.
For instance, there are many bacteria that can produce nanosilver, a wonder nanometal for its antibacterial and antifungal properties (touted as an alternative to antibiotics) which has been used as a coating in healthcare, cosmetics, female hygiene products, air-conditioning systems, washing machines, clothing, toys etc.
Other nanomaterials of interest are:
gold nanoparticles
magnetic nanoparticles
alloy nanoparticles
palladium nanoparticles
copper nanoparticles
Potential Uses
Nano materials grown with bacteria onto surfaces as coatings, for example to improve durability, give anti-bacterial properties, or to give structural coloration (like certain butterfly wing colours) rather than using dyes.
Processes
Different bacteria synthesis nanometals in different ways. In nature, this process was developed for bacteria to survive in high metal toxicity environment. As explained by this academic paper , “nanoparticles are biosynthesized when the microorganisms grab target ions from their environment and then turn the metal ions into the element metal through enzymes generated by the cell activities. It can be classified into intracellular and extracellular synthesis according to the location where nanoparticles are formed.”
