ALGITE
available in 3 seasonal editions
The Algite project began as a materials investigation project into creating new eco-materials from an unorthodox source in an attempt to change the linear relationship with materials that we see in the commercial furniture industry today.
The developmental process that led to the development of Algite involved experimenting with a variety of substrates and binders, eventually settling on seaweed combined with the established sustainable building material Jesmonite. The idea for seaweed came from a love of the ocean and marine environments as well as a desire to understand the properties of this natural wonder.
The final material, Algite, was created to rival materials like concrete and resins that were gaining commercial popularity despite their environmental burden. The jesmonite brings durability to the material, being significantly stronger than materials like plaster, less prone to chipping and without the need for reinforcement as concrete requires. The seaweed adds a decorative element to the material whilst simultaneously acting as a binder, thus not significantly compromising the structural integrity of the jesmonite. The characteristics of the jesmonite combined with the seaweed meant that the material created was not only an aesthetically pleasing alternative, but one with surprising load-bearing capabilities.
The beauty of Algite is its seasonality - coming in a spring, summer, and autumn edition each made of different seaweed species that reach their peak growth rate at different times of year. This harvesting rotation allows the species to not only recover, but to prosper again, ensuring the sustainability credentials of the material through the seasonality, locality, and quality of materials. Algite is featured on the door fronts of the Neap range.
SEASONAL EDITIONS
SPRING
Channelled wrack, serrated wrack & bladder wrack.
SUMMER
Sea spaghetti & kelp
AUTUMN
Dulse & bladder wrack