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SHELLGAE

A home-compostable biopolymer

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Shellgae is a healthier alternative to plastic and paper takeout food containers. 

 

The material differs in both appearance and performance from existing compostable packaging and stems from the need to solve the confusion of responsible disposal.

TYPE
Material Exploration / BFA Thesis 

TIMELINE
1 year 

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MATERIAL EXPLORATION
As part of the material exploration, I worked with algae and wasted organics to create a visual library.
The ones that worked best were the algae blends with eggshells and wasted lettuce and carrots. These blends not only have interesting opacities and textures but also ensure that the material remains odorless after it is completely dry.

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FORM FABRICATION
The material was tested using various processes. The first process involved creating molds are pouring the mixture into it. After waiting for about 24 hours the side walls were removed to ensure equal drying. This was a fairly labor-intensive process. The best results were found when a sheet of the material was shaped into 3D forms using the vacuum former. 


 

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TESTING WITH FOOD
The material can hold up warm bowls without deforming and appears to be suitable for dry and semi-dry foods.

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DESIGN  DEVELOPMENT
Designs were inspired by crustaceans and how existing clamshell containers work. This guided  my ideation phase and helped me develop forms inspired by crab shells, clamshells, and turtle shells. 

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FINAL FORMS
Understanding what kind of food can be packaged within the material was  an essential part of my design process. The containers were designed to stack easily and work as a provocative visual element within a restaurant.

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INSTAGRAMMABLE MOMENT
Visually, the product aimed at providing users with a delightful experience.

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HOME COMPOSTING
When comparing Shellgae in a home-composting environment to PLA, paper, and organics the material was seen disintegrating into the soil after 28 days.

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