Ta.mi table
Ta.mi table is made of leftover tea leaves as a depiction of Turkish tea culture and to absorb sound. Ta.mi is a new material created with tea waste, locally made to establish sustainability and circularity, it is lightweight and made from natural ingredients, it's developed to perform as a sound absorber for improving individual health and it has a relatable story for Turkish people.
Ta.mi started with the question of: “How might we enrich the tea culture of Turkey by appreciating it’s waste as new creative products?”
Turkey is at the top of the list of tea consumption in the world with an average of 1300 glasses per year. It is the most consumed beverage in Turkey right next to the water. So, this creates big waste during our daily lives.
Also, in daily life, many external situations affect individuals. According to the graph prepared by Germany-based Mimi Hearing Technologies based on noise and average hearing loss rates, Istanbul ranks 48th in the list of 50 cities. People living in Istanbul have a hearing level of someone 18.3 years older than them. In terms of noise pollution, Istanbul is among the troubled countries.
While this cycle is happening every day with no solution to noise pollution and tea waste being thrown into the garbage; ta.mi is a way to upcycle this waste into solving these problems.
Tables can be used for a variety of purposes, but the most important role is for everyone to sit around a table and spend quality time with the people we care about. Having a chat with them, sharing laughter, and drinking tea while we do so. Drinking tea became the most important part of daily life a long time ago. Even when grown ups were children, their parents offered them "paşa çayı," which is black tea diluted in more water than usual. As a result, this is a habitual behavior. Putting together a table, particularly a round table, brings people together. Tea is consumed by at least two people. Ta.mi table brings people together while also acting as a noise absorber, resulting in healthier living environments.
Why is this material named tami?
In Turkish, tami means a group of tea bushes standing close to each other. It's also known as the shrubs where tea leaves are clumped together. In some areas, it is also known as Femi. It's a clump of small, shrub-like plants, and the reason the branches resemble a wavy green sea is due to the fact that branches from the same root form a heap in sloped regions.
How will ta.mi establish noise absorption?
Tea bushes form a wave pattern called tami when they come together. Noise is better absorbed by concave shapes, porous surfaces, and empty spaces between surfaces than by flat or convex surfaces. This table is made of ta.mi goods with a wavy surface, and is inspired by the tea tamis of Turkey's Black Sea Region.
Information submitted by the maker and edited by the Future Materials Bank.
Ingredients
Tea waste, water, gelatin, glycerine.