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Flower Matter: innovative materials from flower waste

While flowers are beautiful, they have an incredibly short lifetime. Millions of flowers are planted, selected, cut and transported across the world daily, ready to become precious gifts for loved ones or exquisite decorations in various places before ending their long journey in landfills.
FlowerMatter
Photo by Irene Purasachit (2020)

Various sources say 40% is the percentage of flowers grown commercially that are thrown away before they reach consumers' hands. In Bangkok, Thailand, where the excessive use of flower is rooted deeply into the way of life, Pak Klong Talat is a flower market with over 500 vendors that runs for 24 hours, 7 days a week. It generates roughly one cubic meter of flower waste per shop per week; for example, a wedding can take up to 3-5 tons of flowers for one night before they all end up in landfills as mixed waste.

Watch the video:

Flower upcycling hub: turning flower waste into environmentally responsible materials

Photo by Irene Purasachit. Person holding a burgundy coloured clutch purse in two hands, red roses are seen coming out of the zipper at the top
Photo by Irene Purasachit (2021)

Flower Matter aims to provide a solution to cut this waste stream by turning flower waste into environmentally responsible materials, such as paper, bio-foam and leather-like material that can then be used as a replacement for currently imported florist supplies or as an alternative raw material for various products. All materials are designed with the heart of biodegradability and the possibility to recycle.

More information on this 2021 Master of Arts thesis project by Irene Purasachit

The event is a part of Helsinki Design Week’s official festival programme and Year of Research-Based Knowledge. Aalto University is one of the EU's New European Bauhaus partners. 

#ACoolerPlanet #HelsinkiDesignWeek #NewEuropeanBauhaus #tttv21 Insta: @irenepurasachit

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