Material av restprodukter från hampa till produktdesign

Sammanfattning

This paper is a research through design that answers the question: How can the by-products from hemp production be utilized to create a sustainable material for product design?Hemp is the commercial crop that sequesters carbon dioxide most effectively in the world, but large amounts of bast fibers and hurd emerge as by-products ater cultivation for seeds, flowers, and leaves. These by-products can be difficult for farmers to manage as they require space for storage and often must undergo a lengthy production process before they can be converted into products. The by-products of the hemp industry must be managed properly in order for the whole production chain to be considered sustainable.This paper explores theories like Upcycling and Design for Sustainable Development, so sustainability is always considered while managing these by-products. The research methodology encompasses interviewing six experts within the field of product design and hemp to comprehend the perceived difficulties and possible soultions. Material mapping, user tests and material tests are performed to develop a material from hemp fibres and stoneware clay. Additional user tests, market analysis, requirement list,braindrawing and prototypes are then implemented to ascertain what products that could be made from the hemp clay and how these shall be designed. These methods resulted in the contribution of design for the paper: HampaLampa (HempLamp), a hemp-lampfoot made with hemp clay and linseed oil paint as a surface treatment.