Evan Landau

The main point of my thesis project was to understand the waste and manufacturing industries in sufficient detail so as to develop a system in which underutilized waste streams could be turned into tough, high-quality products. Through a series of design and research explorations, I developed viable and unique means to create pulp products from waste streams in large scale production, cutting out steps and energy from existing recycling practices. The samples — produced from recycled paper and mostly handmade — serve as proof of the ability to industrialize waste as a raw material by scaling the same processes into a mass manufacturing setting. I’m hoping not only to help manufacturers view our planet’s waste as a starting point and raw material resource instead of only trash but also eliminate the consumer perception that goods made from sustainable materials are of lesser quality. The scope of this project looks beyond small houseware items as well. The same simple, low-energy pulp-forming processes can be scaled up industrially along with the size of the final product. The same pulp recipe could be used to make furniture modules, beams and panels for temporary architecture used in pop-up and trade show construction, and for many other uses.

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