Plant plastic

[Arrow]

Zelfo Australia Factory
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztcEvU8Bil4
3:37




"...first developed in 1992...Zelfo is an ecological building material composed of water and cellulose plant fibers such as hemp, flax, sugar-cane and waste paper.

To retain its truly sustainable reputation, Zelfo is not combined with resins or glues and achieves optimal biodegradability. The material is moldable and comparable to wood when finished, making it an ideal green material choice for furniture, toys, instruments, and more.

"...tensile strength from 7 to more than 90 MPa are obtainable."



www.zelfoaustralia.com
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Any ideas on how they make this stuff? Is it just as simple as grinding up hemp and paper fibers with some kind of clay body or cement?
Basically a super papier mache??

[grommet]

intriquing stuff--- very expensive.

[mehl]

Thanks for the link, I've been wanting to research green sculpture materials. I got my B.S. in Environmental Science with a focus in chemistry in 02, so I should know better than to use some of what I do. I've seen a cool material that is like OSB, but with sunflower seed shells. It makes really beautiful patterns, and it seems like you could create something similar to cast with.

[Scout]

Interesting. I wonder how carveable it is. Scout

[racine]

excellent i hope, biodegradable chair .. isnt that a bit dangerous for the incontinent folk...
looks beautiful though -be good if it gets to common usage.

[Arrow]

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/637...gg&stemming=on

[grommet]

Originally Posted by racine

excellent i hope, biodegradable chair .. isnt that a bit dangerous for the incontinent folk...
looks beautiful though -be good if it gets to common usage.

you'd think, but even the potato starch biodegradable stuff can go through the dishwasher a lot. Maybe it gets to a certain age & then goes ***poof***

[racine]

aldous huxley said that mostly happens to old men around fiftyfive

[grommet]

Originally Posted by racine

aldous huxley said that mostly happens to old men around fiftyfive

what ever was he referring to???