(Image: Alkesh Parmar)
It’s degree show season and the Royal College of Art show boasted its usual fantastic designs and innovative ideas. My eye was caught by Alkesh Parmar’s work, APeel. He designed a new material derived from food waste. Using the inedible leftovers from oranges, lemons and other hesperidia fruits, he dried, grated and mixed them up with a secret combination of all natural, organic binders, poured into a mold and hey presto! A orange juicer made from oranges!
The whole design process has been carefully thought out with energy and water levels kept to a minimum. Even the moulds were made from recycled materials and tools were only made if necessary. The resulting biodegradable, sustainable material is firm and strong and can even be made into a flexible sheet, suitable for so many purposes.
(Image: Alkesh Parmar)
As if that wasn’t cool enough, he also designed a chandelier made from excess champagne corks rescued from restaurants. What a fantastic all-consuming idea!
