Paper waste

Paper Clay

Paper waste has been a serious problem in many industries and offices for years. Paper may account for 70% of a company’s total waste. An average office worker uses about 10,000 sheets of paper a year.

Design An Mor has been exploring the physical and aesthetic properties of waste paper to develop materials that enhance this local resource. This research opens up new areas of innovative applications for waste paper, such as interior and design materials.

Design An Mor works with local partners to classify, shred, and manufacture waste paper into new fibre materials. The entire production process is designed as a cycle, from waste paper to raw materials, from raw materials to finished products. Until every piece of material that is no longer needed is ground up and remade into a finished product.

The aesthetics and properties of paper material allow it to be integrated into product designs. Due to the variety and complexity of paper scraps, it carries remnants of pre-recycling styles and treatments that make each piece of Paper Clay unique in colour, composition, and structure.

As part of this research, their team also explored the development and use of locally available minerals and metal oxides in multiple colours. By applying resources and craftsmanship with minimal ecological impact, the Paper Clay project reunites these scraps of paper with natural materials.

Design An Mor creates modular products with Paper Clay, bringing design into the office and home spaces for extra flexibility, in line with their original intention of designing Paper Clay "from the end to the beginning". Paper Clay's modular products can adapt to the changing needs of the space in which they are located while being inclusive and versatile.

Making process

Design An Mor ensures all the materials come from pre-consumer paper, it goes through a rigorous sorting process to ensure that only qualified paper is used in the manufacturing process. They shred paper into smaller pieces, which allows them to utilise a wider variety of pre-consumer paper and creates a unique and textured appearance in the final product. The shredded paper is mixed with a water-based adhesive and pigments in a large mixing container. The earth pigment will be applied as it enhances the product's eco-friendliness and adds a natural and organic touch to the product's appearance. After then thoroughly mixed, the resulting mixture is pressed into moulds to give the product its desired shape. Once the product has been moulded, it is allowed to dry, during which time the adhesive solidifies and hardens the product. This manufacturing process not only produces a high-quality product but is also environmentally friendly.

Text submitted by the maker and edited by the Future Materials Bank. For information about reproducing (a part of) this text, please contact the maker.