This was a bold and ambitious experiment by AMAM, a design group formed in 2015 by Kosuke Araki, Noriaki Maetani and Akira Muraoka. It aimed to address one of the biggest pollution problems of our time.
Seaweed-derived agar is traditionally consumed as food in Japan, and used in scientific and medical fields worldwide. Its porous, feathery structure is very light despite its volume, giving it great possibilities as packaging material. Because agar is also moldable, it was proposed as a cushioning material. After use, agar products can be disposed of in an environmentally-friendly way serving as a material to improve the water-retention of soil and harmless to marine lives should it drift into the sea.
The designers have made tremendous progress in devising a wide range of possible practical applications for the material.
EXPLORING PLASTIC ALTERNATIVES
