Our Material
Engineered for the home, and for what comes after.
The petroleum-based materials used to make most everyday objects are chosen for their convenience. Cheap to source, easy to mould, indifferent to where they end up.
Our material was chosen on different terms. We needed something we could shape with precision, that would feel substantial in the hand, and that we could stand behind from the moment it was made to long after it left our studio.
A plant-based composite made from sugarcane byproducts and limestone.
Sugarcane byproducts — the husks and stalks left over from farming — are fermented and refined into a polymer. Limestone is added as a natural mineral additive, giving the material its weight and a soft matte surface. Combined, they produce a composite that performs like the traditional materials it replaces, without the petroleum, and without the recycled-bottle aesthetic that the word “sustainable” has come to imply.
Less CO2 emissions than comparable petroleum-based materials.
Natural and plant-based, with limestone added as a mineral additive.
Production waste sent to landfill.
Renewable.
Made from sugarcane husks and stalks left over from farming, rather than petroleum.
Lower emissions.
Producing our material releases 70% less CO2 than comparable petroleum-based alternatives.
Closed-loop.
Production scraps are collected and reprocessed in British Columbia, returning to the supply chain as raw material.
Non-toxic.
Free from BPA, phthalates, and the additives common to petroleum-based materials.
From farm to table.
Harvesting.
Sugarcane husks and stalks are collected as a byproduct of farming.
Processing.
The organic material is ground and distilled into simple sugars.
Fermentation.
The sugars are converted into lactic acid.
Polymerisation.
The lactic acid is purified and polymerised into a raw biopolymer.
Compounding.
Pigments and limestone are added for colour, matte texture, and weight.
Production.
Final products are created using the raw material in our East Vancouver studio.
Nothing wasted.
Every offcut, misprint, and trim piece from our studio is collected and reprocessed locally. Our scraps go to the Alberni Makerspace, keeping production closed-loop and nothing out of landfill.
No material is without consequence.
Every object made is one the world has to make room for. We chose this composite because it is the best answer we have found so far, and because we believe a small object made carefully is better than a large one made carelessly.
Sustainability is an iterative process, and we will keep looking for better answers.
Shop Conifer.
Planters, vases, and small objects for the home. Designed and made in East Vancouver, ready to ship.
View the collection →