Sans Lignum

Long description

Currently, paper is our (best) substitute for plastic and it is becoming the most widely used material. This means that our huge demand for paper will only increase, putting even more pressure on the paper industry and the way they get their raw materials. As much as we try to regulate it, products of deforestation are still being used to make paper. As designers, we have a very big say in how sustainable something will be. That’s why Sans Lignum opts to give designers a tool that serves as a catalog for local tree-free materials. The aim is to connect designers to manufacturers and make them familiar with these alternatives such as sugarcane bagasse, hemp, stone, and grass. This way they have a broader knowledge of sustainable options for when they stop using other (harmful) materials or in general. It also distributes our consumption by showing multiple types of paper, selecting those who use recycled or waste products, and limits it to those who are biodegradable. Overall, these alternatives use less water, less to no toxic chemicals, fibers are stronger and the manufacturing process causes fewer emissions.

There are no sustainable materials. Your product in itself will never be sustainable. But by choosing your materials wisely, you can limit the CO2 emissions and design a product more suitable for our growing circular economy. -Björn Florman

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