070 FOCUS
LIGHT FITTINGS made from natural materials are clearly nothing new. In fact they started out that way come to think of it. But there is a definite trend not only to use more obvious materials such as wood, rafia, seagrass, coconut shell and seashell, but to explore the possibilities of other less orthodox materials such as plant roots and mycelium, primarily for sustainability reasons. On average, bio-based products emit 45% less greenhouse gas emissions than the fossil materials they replace, according to research conducted by Radboud University, published in Nature Communications.
Natural selection The need for more sustainable manufacture is driving the growth of traditional plant sources and novel biomaterials in lighting
However, as Sioban Imms, a colour, material and finish (CMF) and sustainability strategist, pointed out in a recent piece in Dezeen, it is crucial to look at the whole product picture. Tere is no point using a natural material if it creates a monoculture or entails decimating rainforest or destroying nature in order to cultivate it.
According to the makers, the following are mindful of the products’ sustainability hinterland, in some cases lab-cultivated to avoid depleting natural resources, or are found materials which are fashioned by local artisan labour. ‘In our hands,’ says Let’s Pause, ‘a fallen palm leaf becomes an intriguing lamp.’
Rootfull
While leaves are a traditional material for making going back millennia, Zena Holloway has gone to the root of the matter. An underwater photographer, she founded Rootfull after seeing the devastating effects of plastic pollution in the oceans. She resolved to help find a solution, setting aside her camera to specialise in material innovation. She began by growing mycelium in her basement before encountering the tangled root system of a willow tree in her local river. Tis inspired her to try another approach which culminated in the cultivation of wheatgrass. Using templates carved from beeswax, the shoots of the plant grow to 20cm over 12 days while the roots bind below to form a naturally woven structure. It’s then harvested, washed, dried and treated with natural ingredients that keep it flexible and durable.
‘Te root weaves itself into fabric that is biodegradable, pollution-free, water-efficient and estimated carbon neutral,’ says Holloway. ‘Te entire process incorporates organic and locally sourced materials. Water is recycled from runoff, and any excess shoot or seed is repurposed as animal fodder, leaving no waste behind.’
Shortlisted at Surface Design Awards 2024, the material is used in fashion (clothing and jewellery) and also a range of lighting. Designs are not so much made to order as grown to order. Customers can track the life of their unique lamp with fortnightly email updates
from the Rootfull studio that show them how the textile is growing and then the process of crafting it into the final piece.
Te Root Wall Light, mounted on a wire frame, is inspired by the shape of the Medusa jellyfish. Measuring 50x50x15cm (HxWxD), its delicate, interwoven network of roots are revealed by the internal glow of a 7W warm white (2700K) LED source.
Te Hanging Pod Lamps, recalling microscopic sea organisms known as diatoms, are grown into a pillbox-like shell of overlapping halves. Tey can be used as individual pieces or as part of a larger installation. Tey come in three sizes: large (60x30x30cm), medium (50x25x25cm) and small (50x20x20cm), and all lights are supplied with black cotton or natural jute- covered cables.
rootfull.com
TOM HARRIS
ZENA HOLLOWAY
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