Biodegradable Hanging Luminaire.

The world is constantly evolving, and we must adapt to it. One of the biggest challenges we face today is the impact of our actions on the environment. It is our responsibility to create solutions that not only meet our needs but also minimize harm to the planet. With this in mind, a designer created a smart biodegradable hanging luminaire made from a collection of raw materials.

The luminaire takes inspiration from falling rose petals, creating a visual impact that is both stunning and unique. But this luminaire is not just about aesthetics. It is designed to be biodegradable when thrown away, offering a sustainable solution to traditional lighting options. The designer achieved this by using raw materials that can easily decompose when disposed of.

The light source of this luminaire is an LED strip powered at 5v, making it energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. By using such low-energy sources of light, the luminaire provides an excellent addition to any eco-conscious household.

This smart biodegradable hanging luminaire is an excellent example of how technology and design can come together to create solutions that are both functional and sustainable. In the face of global environmental challenges, it is initiatives like this that give us hope for a brighter future.

Tools needed for making:

1. Large Bowl
2. cup for measuring
3. latex gloves
4. LED strips
5. 600mm x 600mm Perspex
6. Heat gun/ vacuum forming machine to speed the healing process.
7. Welding gloves
8. cotton twine
9. 4 screws
10. Hand drill
11. Sandpaper
12. Bandsaw

Ingredients:

1. 100+ Eggshells
2. 5 boxes of 30Dos egg cartons
3. 2L water
4. 500g Flour
5. salt
6. soft tree barks

1. Design and laser cut two templates using Perspex. (Can be done manually in the workshop 500mm x 300mm)
2. Use a heat gun or a vacuum-forming machine to heat Perspex until it's soft enough to bend.
3. Using welding gloves, hold two opposite edges then twist and bend the Perspex.
4. Do the same for the second mold but bend in the opposite direction.

1. Collect and wash a lot of eggshells. (About 200 or more eggshells)
2. Allow the eggshells to dry for about 2 hours.
3. Crush eggshells using your hands.
4. Use pastel and mortar to grind eggshells. (Few eggshells at a time)
5. The ground eggshells should measure 500g or more.

1. Cut the egg cartons into small pieces using scissors or a knife.
2. Soak the egg carton pieces in a bowl of water for several hours or overnight. This will soften the cartons and make them easier to break down.
3. Once the cartons have soaked for a while, use your hands to break them down as much as possible.
4. Continue breaking down the cartons until you have a pulpy mixture.
5. If the mixture is too thick, add more water to achieve a pourable consistency.
6. Place an old t-shirt over a large bowl and pour the pulp mixture onto it.
7. Use your hands to press and squeeze the pulp through the cloth, removing any large pieces of carton.

1. In a large bowl with paper pulp, add ground eggshells and mix.
2. Add flour as needed until it forms a thick mixture. (Test by Moulding something with your hands, if moldable then it's ready)

1. Peel off the plastic on Perspex.
2. Cast the material on the outside of the Mould. I made sure to maintain the same thickness and smooth surface throughout.
3. Do the same for the second Mould so that they can dry at once.
4. Place them outside where there is sun and air to dry them.

• Make a template of the design.
• Use 10mm pine wood to cut out the piece. I used a bandsaw to cut the wood.
• Use sandpaper to smoothen the edges.

• The casting took 4 days to dry.
• It started peeling off as it dries, making it easier for removing the Moulds.
• After removing the molds, use fine sandpaper to sand out imperfections.
• Both pallets are ready.

1. peel off an amount of bark from the tree.
2. use scissors to cut the barks into a different-sized round shapes.
3. use biodegradable glue to paste the marks on the front part of the pallets.

• Using the hand drill, screw each pallet to the connecting wooded piece.
• Tie the cotton twine to the connecting piece for hanging the luminaire.
• Use a glue gun to stick the LED strips across each panel.
• Hang the luminaire and connect the LED strip lights to the standard USB cable at 5v and power on and off.