Grounded
Category: Interior
Competitions: Home Competition 2025
“Grounded” explores the ability to make a biodegradable composite using coffee grounds and orange peels, which can be used to create artisanal goods in place of traditional mediums such as wood and clay. The idea to use coffee grounds stems from the vast amount of coffee grounds which are discarded each year. It is estimated that the UK produces 500,000 tonnes of waste coffee grounds per year, with this contributing to 1.8 million tonnes of carbon emissions. As a result of this spent coffee grounds are an ideal base for the material as they are readily available and easy to process, whilst re-purposing spent coffee grounds prevents them from, being discarded into landfill and contributing to carbon emissions. The idea to use orange peels stems from the origin of oranges, with both coffee grounds and oranges being mainly exported from Brazil. When processing, the material is malleable and can be press moulded to achieve its desired form. The material is then cut and sanded to further refine its form, before being finished in a coat of shellac. Sanding the material ensures a smooth finish, as well as exposing the orange speckles within the material under the surface. Whilst applying the shellac helps seal the material. The outcome is a ridged material which can withstand cutting, sanding and drilling, whilst also acting as a self-adhesive, meaning the material can be used as a paste to join components, provided it doesn’t dry out before application. As such these vessels are constructed without the use of any glues or adhesives. Given the material is constructed using natural binders and waste products, the material is fully biodegradable and decomposes within 5 days when placed within water. The material’s ability to biodegrade was essential in order to present the material as an ecological alternative to virgin materials such as clay, which cannot be re-used once they are fired. The material has been used to create vessels which can act as flower pots and fruit bowls as well as coasters.
