design an mor recycles industrial waste paper into marble-surfaced modular furniture

paper clay by design an mor turns waste into furniture 

Tackling the issue of industrial paper waste, Design An Mor recycles the organic waste material to develop modular furniture pieces that are adaptable, inclusive and versatile. The new project titled Paper Clay explores the physical and aesthetic properties of paper, reforming it into rigid blocks of composite ‘clay’. Injected with locally sourced natural mineral coloring, the new material’s surface is attributing with a delicate marble effect, unique to each block. The blocks are assembled together to make a collection of modular tables, shelving units, chairs and stools that contribute a distinct design and extra flexibility in offices and home spaces.

all images courtesy of the author

natural mineral coloring lends a delicate marbled surface

Through an ongoing exploration of the physical and aesthetic properties of waste paper, Design An Mor’s research has opened new, innovative applications for the material, such as interior and design products. With their new series Paper Clay, the team works with local partners to classify, shred, and manufacture waste paper into a new fiber ‘clay’ material, its rigid properties and marble aesthetics presenting a unique building material for furniture design. Utilizing locally available minerals and metal oxides, the project reunites these scraps of paper with natural materials, lending the surface of the clay a colorful marbled effect. The waste is transformed into small paper clay bricks and assembled to manufacture modular furniture objects, including tables, chairs, and shelving units, primarily for offices and homes.

Due to the variety and complexity of paper scraps, the organic waste material carries remnants of pre-recycling styles and treatments, attributing a unique color, composition, and structure to each piece of the Paper Clay collection. ‘The entire production process is designed as a cycle, from waste paper to raw materials, from raw materials to finished products. Until every piece of material that is no longer needed is ground up and remade into a finished product’, notes Design An Mor.

Paper Clay’s modular space unit

Design An Mor recycles waste paper into a new ‘paper clay’ composite material

the new fiber ‘clay’ material holds rigid properties and marble aesthetics