EGG-SHIELD
Basic information
Project Title
Full project title
Category
Project Description
EGG-SHIELD proposes to rethink the final destination of product waste. In this case, organic residues such as leftover eggshell is harnessed as an asset for the creation of objects that imitate the main purpose of an eggshell: protection. The natural behavior of the material allows it to achieve unique shapes and textures, encouraging the implementation of new processes to create new circular products that at the end of their lifespan can nourish the soil or be reused as raw material.
Project Region
EU Programme or fund
Description of the project
Summary
EGG-SHIELD is a concept that proposes to rethink the final destination of products and their waste. It is inspired by the utopia of living in an ´Ecocentric´ world which entails a society whose processes, consumption and disposal of things is always loyal to the planet. Waste is no longer waste, but repurposed as in this case organic residues such as leftover eggshell is harnessed as an asset for the creation of objects that imitate the main purpose of an eggshell: protection. The natural behavior of the material allows it to achieve unique shapes and textures, encouraging the production of new products and the implementation of new processes such as mold-casting and 3D printing. Its circularity is also given by its potential to nourish the soil or be used again as a raw material to produce new things, when its useful life is over.
Key objectives for sustainability
This material-driven project proves throughout the whole process to be a promoter of awareness by critically questioning availability, use and disposal of resources. By shifting from nonrenewable resources to organic waste, EGG-SHIELD proves to contribute to a more sustainable cultural practice. The project reduces the extraction and processing of unsustainable materials because instead it looks into potentials of using eggshell from food/waste industry as a component for a light, cement-or-ceramic-like material.
It considers sustainability and biomimicry through the use of concepts such as: using waste as a resource, renewable materials, life-friendly chemistry and low energy processes to manufacture the pieces. It promotes a paradigm shift by demonstrating that organic waste can act as an alternative asset to produce objects.
Here, excess of food waste is prevented from ending up in landfills, so instead of causing odor production, microbial growth and leading to environmental issues, it is put back into the cyclic process by giving it a chance to be harnessed for product design. It will only be discarded when it is no longer useful at all and will do so in an Earth-harmless way through biodegradability: following the Cradle-to-cradle model since its composition consists only of natural and non-toxic components that can nourish the soil as a fertilizer.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
The essence of EGG-SHIELD is inspired by nature. The shield made of eggshell creates a symbiosis between a material and a human being, and this connection is intended to create a new perspective as to rethink our relationship with any organic surplus and see it with new eyes. The cuirass is the means that promotes further studies and explorations to create real applications, which can go beyond a concept.
The material follows the surface of any mold for it is like a cement-like paste, slimy and wet at the beginning, and just before drying it can be given any shape by rotating the mold allowing the material to move freely over it, as, for example, adapting well to the human body. When the material dries it becomes rigid and brittle, adopting characteristics similar to those of cement.
Its natural behavior provides unique shapes and patterns proving that eggshell surplus can be repurposed in many innovative ways. It also aims to demonstrate the beauty of naturalness. The fidelity with which the material adopts any shape, is such that the finishing is very precise and detailed, and this together with its porous texture and color, show an attractiveness that gives it a distinctive personality. Forgotten things like “waste” can also be beautiful the way they are. There is no need to interfere with its finishing unless the application requires it.
Key objectives for inclusion
The process used to make the pieces made of eggshell is summarized in 5 main steps that can be followed at anyone´s home and that also exist in the larger industry: Grinding (eggshell into powder), Heating (the mixture of components), Forming (casting or 3D printing), Cooling (to speed up the demoulding process), and Drying (natural). This means that the creation of eggshell objects is within the reach of anyone, either as individuals or large companies.
The ultimate promise is to raise awareness of product disposal by having people re-evaluate the relationship they have with residues, therefore using this research as a Reference Guide, as an Example, to encourage them to use up their surplus organic material and create something out of it. In the end, the material is obtained from and returned to the people: the charm lies in the fact that the material has been transformed into beautiful and/or functional things accessible to all.
Innovative character
EGG-SHIELD addresses the problems of improper disposal of things and excess of waste by giving the eggshell a new purpose, in this case, to act as a shield. It is a metaphor that consists of using eggshell as what it is made for: protection, this means that it mimics the function of an eggshell. This feature is the inspiration for the design of a cuirass, armor-like product harnessing the natural properties of the material. “The eggshell is being itself”.
The relationship it creates within the material and the human, encourages to explore its potential to be manufactured using new processes and creating new applications. It has been proven that the material can be mold-casted and 3D printed resulting in the creation of functional products made of organic material residues such as tiles, capsules, masks, containers, a dumbbell... with the possibility of creating more shapes.
