The project started by creating this seaweed bag, as an investigation into using seaweed as a replacement for leather. Its texture and aesthetic match leather very closely, although the bag dries out so fast, it makes it completely useless as a functional object.
I then experimented with creating paper from local seaweeds including kelp and wrack. By pressing seaweed between layers of nylon, absorbant paper and clamping between wooden blocks, you can create a tough, thick paper.
By scanning the seaweed paper, you can truley appreciate the different colours of this fantastic material.
I attempted to waterproof the paper by dipping it in liquid latex, however this destroyed all sense of the material.
I then stretched seaweed around various shapes and allowed it to dry. As it dries it shrinks to create a form which closely resembles the mould.
I tried to mix the seaweed with a home made bioplastic. This worked fairly well, although the production required a lot of energy to make. Seaweed also contains its own binding agent, which although weak, does mean that bio-plastic is superfluous.
I hit upon a winning recipe by adding 5 ml of eco-PVA to the seaweed before moulding. This dissolves into the weeds and helps stick them together. Water allows the tray to disintegrate, and its remains can be eaten by fish and gastropods such as snails and slugs.
This tray was wrapped in kelp prior to drying to offer a more comfortable grip for the hands.
