Vegetable Paper
2016
Cutting waste from vegetables
With 110 hectares of land, Jan van Lierop is one of the largest organic vegetable producers in the Netherlands. Cleaning these vegetables are the main source of waste within the process, which is currently being used as fertilizer. This is more of a solution to get rid of the waste rather than a fertilizer technique itself. As a starting point, we asked ourselves, can there be another application to this crop waste? The answer; Leek paper.
During one of our chats, Jan told me: “Our customers do not choose the cheapest per se, instead they are more interested in the storytelling behind each product.” Then he added: “The Netherlands has a low consumption of organic vegetables in comparison with other countries such as Belgium”. Meaning that most of Jan’s production is exported to foreign countries and there is a lack of awareness in this field within the Netherlands.
Organic vegetables have to be packed individually, in order to explain where the produce comes from, its nutritional value and prevent contamination with non-organic vegetables. Nowadays, vegetables are packed in flowpack, which is a biodegradable transparent plastic. But consumers are not aware that this packaging can be thrown away with organic waste, nor is it explained on the packaging itself. As a result, this organic packaging ends up with regular plastic waste and does not decompose.
After a theoretical and practical research, it emerged that it is possible to make paper from any organic material. With this knowledge, the idea grew and the concept was developed: to pack Jan van Lierop’s vegetables in paper made from the waste streams of his own production. This packaging would also be the perfect medium to explain the story of Jan and the craft of growing organic vegetables.
We are currently working on a businessplan and the feasibility of the implementation of this packaging. Please contact us if you would like to collaborate.
In collaboration with Papiermakerij de Hoop, Rotterdam
Food Heroes Awards
2017
Cutting waste from vegetables
The Southern Agriculture and Horticulture Organization (ZLTO) commissioned to design the trophies for the Food Heroes Awards 2019. The most important requirement for the design was the usage of waste material from the agricultural business.
For the design I made paper out of vegetable waste, more specific the green part of leek, which is usually thrown away. It is possible to make paper out of any organic source.
The trophies are build up out of 16 slices, 8 along the x-axis and 8 along the y-axis. This allows to build up a 3D design out of 2D slices.
Lasercutting in collaboration with Het Lab Rotterdam.
