Modular Table Lamp System Using Eggshell Biomaterial

Category: Interior

Modular Table Lamp System Using Eggshell Biomaterial Today, design and production often prioritise the need for speed and overconsumption, treating resources as limitless. As result, countless homeware products are discarded daily, due to wear and tear, shifting needs, or changing tastes. Over 70 million of these items end up in landfill each year because of mixed, non-recyclable or hard-to-recycle materials. Even for those which are recycled, the recycling process itself is energy-intensive, wasteful and uses harsh chemicals. As Buckminster Fuller noted in “Spaceship Earth,” our planet is a closed system needing care; sustainable and circular design is essential to maintaining it. This inspired me to rethink homeware design through simplification, repairability, reusability, and full compostability. Guided by cradle-to-cradle and regenerative principles, I focused on materials made from unavoidable organic waste, such as residual material from food production, requiring minimal energy and avoiding extraction of raw materials. I invented a lightweight, truly biodegradable biomaterial primarily made from eggshells and a plant-based bio-binder (IP in progress). Waste eggshells are locally available, abundant and not seasonal. This bio material is relatively inexpensive, manufacturable in various thicknesses, mouldable, machinable and compatible with CNC and laser cutting. The thin version of this material is translucent, printable, embroider-able, foldable, and self-adhesive. Being fully compostable, it benefits the soil when discarded, acting as a natural fertiliser. After extensive experimentation, the material proved stable at room temperature and normal conditions, but begins to decompose when completely wet or buried in soil. Thin samples dissolve in water within an hour and decompose in soil after four days; thicker pieces break down in water within two weeks and decompose in soil after a month. ASTM tests showed it withstood 147 kg in compression, 32 kg in tensile strength, and had a flexural strength of 10 MPa. It has heat resistant up to 450°C. With this, I designed and built a modular table lamp system, where the same structural components can be combined into at least four distinct lamp designs while using the same electrical parts. The eggshell material is used for both the body and shade components. This has the greatest influence on a lamp’s appearance and is often the reason for product replacement. I chose a table lamp as a medium to showcase the different characteristics of the eggshell-based material in a familiar, everyday home product. Its heat resistance makes it suitable for applications like table lamps, with no risk from bulb-generated heat. Parts are easily replaceable, allowing users to switch between different designs based on their preferences, while retaining the same electrical components. User testing demonstrated a highly intuitive and enjoyable assembly process. On average, each lamp could be assembled in under two minutes. Testers also appreciated the visual design. All lamps fit within an A4 envelope, minimising space requirements and reducing carbon emissions during shipping. Made from fully biodegradable and home-compostable materials derived from natural waste, these lamp components are reused or returned to the soil at the end of their life, benefiting the environment