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My chosen waste material is the humble tea bag. I have decided on this material as I recently discovered that some tea bag manufacturers still use pp plastic in the manufacturing of their bags. This therefore means that the tea bag cannot go into the food recycling or composite. Thus becoming waste material as they must go into landfill.

In this project I will be only using Tetley tea bag's. This is because they are one of British biggest manufacturers who still use plastic in their bags and also they are easy to source.

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I feel sample two would work well being used for heat proof mats as it was quite affective at absorbing the heat. Also its spongy, bouncy qualities make it perfect to place heavy pots and pan onto it without the mat snapping in two under the weight of the pan.

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far left = sample 1
middle left = sample 2
middle right = sample 3
far right = sample 4

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I propose sample 2 to be used in creating lamp shades. The main reason for this decision is the way that the light travels through this sample creating interesting and unique patterns. In the strength test sample 2 showed that it would be able to cope with everyday bumps and knocks without breaking. Furthermore its lightweight nature would mean that the lamp shade would not increase the overall weight of the lamp by too much helping to make its as easy as possible to use.

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- testing the addition of corn flour to the mixture

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- investigating what happens when specimen is shaped

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- to investigate what happens to the material when thickness is increased

increase from 2mm to 10mm

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- eliminating holes from specimen and increasing strength of material

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top left = sample 1
top right = sample 2
middle = normal tea bag
bottom left = sample 3
bottom right = sample 4

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- to successfully bind tea leaves together into a solid

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- to create a more even surface
- play about with the ratios of gelatine to glycerine

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Experiment what happens when the whole tea bag is covered in the adhesive

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Stale Request

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Ocean Plastic Pots make sustainable Plant Pots using from rope and fishing net. Created by a deep sea diver and manufactured in Scotland. We've developed a circular economy product that grows awareness of the ocean plastic problem.

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most popular hot beverage drink in the world

-60.2 billion cups of tea a year

-96% of tea-drinkers choose tea bags rather than tea leaves

-several tea bag brands use polypropylene bags,  not  biodegradable

-paper tea bags are sealed with plastic glue that makes them non-compostable

-British tea bag companies with plastic :

PG TIPS
Tetley
Yorkshire Tea
Twinings

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Country Living reveal which tea bag brands do and don't have plastic in their bags. Luckily, there are a number of tea bags which are plastic-free...
Drinking tea is a very British tradition - so much so that we consume 60.2 billion cups of tea each year, according to the UK Tea and Infusions Association.

And most of us tea-drinkers choose tea bags rather than tea leaves - 96% in fact.

This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

But are you aware that some tea bags actually contain plastic? Several tea bag brands use polypropylene, a sealing plastic, to keep their tea bags from falling apart. This plastic is not recyclable or biodegradable.

So, even when you put all your used tea bags in the food waste or compost heap, it can lead to plastic pollution, as not all of it will be broken down.
2 tea bag problems to be aware of:

paper tea bags sealed with a plastic glue that makes them non-recyclable or compostable

plastic tea bags (the actual bag is made out of plastic, not paper) that begin to breakdown when put into hot water

And that's not the only problem, recent research from McGill University in Canada also found that some types of tea bag leak millions of plastic particles into our drinks not only from the sealing plastic but from the bag itself.

This problem is linked to tea bags where the actual bag itself is made out of plastic material, not the paper bags that are more common. These plastic tea bags are more often linked to the higher end brands.

The scientists found that one plastic tea bag releases around 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 bollion smaller nanoplastic particles into the cup. The findings were published in the Journal of Environmental Science & Technology.

What are brands doing about it? (In alphabetical order)

ABEL & COLE

Abel & Cole, a delivery service for organic food and drink produce, are proud to have completely plastic-free tea bags - instead they are made using SoilOn. The tea bags themselves are completely biodegradable and the packaging they come in is made using paper and biodegradable PE and is oxo-biodegradable. On their website, they say: "SoilOn is a corn-starch which incorporates biomass material (polylactic acid) originating from plants. And, the best bit is that's biodegradable and certified by The Soil Association through EU organic regulation. They're also glue free as they're sealed together with heat."
CLIPPER
Clipper announced in October 2018 that they had created what they believe to be the first ever completely plastic-free bag, made using natural plant-based materials. With these, you simply make your cup of tea as usual before putting the tea bag in your food waste bin or compost.

On their website, they say: "Now we've developed an unbleached, plastic-free, non-GM tea bag, there's no stopping us! We're working on a number of green packaging options, including reducing our packaging weight and improving our recyclability."

Tea bags with plastic:
This information is based on our research and may have changed since publication.
❗️Tetley

❗️Twinings 'heat-sealed' and 'string and tag' ranges

❗️Yorkshire Tea

❗️Lidl own brand

Tea bags without plastic:

✅ Abel & Cole

✅ Clipper

✅ Co-op own brand 99

✅ Pukka Herbs

✅ Teapigs

✅ Twinings pyramid range

✅ Waitrose Duchy range

CO-OP

On their website it says: "Our famous Co-op 99 tea will be developed without polypropylene, which is an industry-wide method used to enable teabags to hold their shape. This could save nine tonnes of plastic every year from being dumped into household rubbish and compost collections."

LIDL

We got in touch with Lidl to ask about their own brand tea bags, which are not currently 100% plastic-free but are biodegradable. Lidl told Country Living:

"Our pyramid teabags are made from 100% bio-plastic and are fully biodegradable. The vast majority of the composition of our round tea bags are biodegradable, with approximately just 1-2% of non-biodegradable polymers, used to help create the seal. We are continuing to work with our suppliers to explore alternative, fully biodegradable polymers that can be used instead. Our industry partner, WRAP, also encourages consumers to put this type of tea bag into home composting containers, as there will only be a very small amount of residue left afterwards."

PG TIPS

In April 2018, PG tips announced that it will move to 100% biodegradable tea bags. On their website it says: "We're committed to moving all our pyramid ® bags to a new fully biodegradable, plant-based material. We've already made over 1 BILLION!"

Look carefully on the packaging to see if they are the new variety of bags.

PUKKA HERBS

Pukka Herbs tea bags are free of plastic, tied together with organic cotton and are fully compostable. On their website, they say: "Pukka doesn't use this kind of material. Instead, we use a simple stitch of organic cotton and a unique folding process. This means we don't need to use polypropylene to hold our teabags together and our teabags are therefore free from plastic. We were the first company to ever use organic strings to hold our teabags together without the need of a metal staple or polypropylene."

TEAPIGS

Teapigs products are plastic-free and biodegradable.

On their website they say: "Our tea temples have always been plastic-free. Made from corn-starch and 100% biodegradable - you can pop them in with your food waste collection where they will break down within 12 weeks (best avoid putting them in home compost, as they do need high heat and pressure to break down - which won't be met at home). Late last year we also switched our inner plastic bag (that keeps your tea nice and fresh) to a new wonder material called Natureflex which is made from wood pulp and suitable for home composting - total game changer!"

TETLEY

Despite claiming to be 99% biodegradable, Tetley tea bags do contain a small amount of aplastic.

On their website they say: We've worked hard to ensure that our tea bags are 99% bio degradable. However, as a result of the manufacturing process, Tetley tea bags do contain a very small amount of plastic to ensure the bags remain closed for you to enjoy your cup of tea.

TWININGS

Our research suggests that Twinings' claim their loose leaf pyramid tea bag range does not contain plastic and is fully biodegradable. However, their 'heat-sealed' and 'string and tag' ranges do include plastic. Visit their website to make enquiries.

As far as our research suggests, their Duchy range is plastic-free and biodegradable. Check packaging for details.

YORKSHIRE TEA

Yorkshire tea is currently making the switch to renewable plant-based material. On their website, they say: "The plastic we've been using to seal our tea bags is going to be replaced with a renewable plant-based material. We're starting to switch over now, and the aim is that all our UK tea bags will have switched by the end of 2019."
For any brands not mentioned, check their website or customer care contact.
100% PLASTIC-FREE TEA ALTERNATIVES
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Even our tea bags contain plastic - but there are 6 brands that are plastic-free

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Country Living reveal which tea bag brands do and don't have plastic in their bags. Luckily, there are a number of tea bags which are plastic-free... Drinking tea is a very British tradition - so much so that we consume 60.2 billion cups of tea each year, according to the UK Tea and Infusions Association.

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Made of
95% tea
4% plant fibres
1% polypropylene

8.8 billion tea bags manufactured a year

average dry tea bag weighs 3grams

=264,000kg of pp plastic produced every year

=250,800,000 kg of dry tea used in manufacturing every year

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Tetley Tea - Home of The Highest Quality Teas from Around the World

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Discover the best quality tea from Tetley. Buy tea online and enjoy your morning cuppa with the different tea flavour. Visit our website for a wide range of healthy teas.

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about 15 mins
- very dark tea bag
- tea no longer clumps together

roasted tea, darker colour. Doesn't combine together

wet tea, like sand. Can compress and clump together

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by mixing the tea with honey gave it the ability to clump together into a solid. Putty like consistency

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goes solid because of the moisture but then when defrosts back to normal

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wood floor
windows

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strengths
easy to shape when wet
absorbs water
smells nice
hard to break when force is applied in the vertical direction

weaknesses
easy to tear, forces in horizontal direction
a mess !!!!!!

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Originally from Marboz in France, Aymeric Renoud is a Dundee based designer and fabricator. His career in 3D manufacturing began at Moissonnier where he began his training as traditional cabinet maker.

Aymeric relocated to Scotland in 2013 to study at Duncan Jordanstone College of Art and Design After graduating in 2015 with a Bachelors of Design, he remained within the art college as the Designer in Residence for two years.

With a passion and interest in eco conception, Aymeric started to explore the possibilities of reusing the wastage from alcohol production as a material.

From his workshop Aymeric creates bespoke pieces of furniture and is frequently involved with local projects as well as distillery and brewery collaborations.

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Originally from Marboz in France, Aymeric Renoud is a Dundee based designer and fabricator. His career in 3D manufacturing began at Moissonnier where he began his training as traditional cabinet maker.

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"Designing with a material entails a thorough understanding of the material in order to discover its unique qualities and constraints in comparison to other materials."

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Material Driven Design (MDD): A Method to Design for Material Experiences

1 Department of Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands2
Design Department, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy

Keywords - Materials Experience, Experience Design, Materials, Material Driven Design, Designing with Waste.

Relevance to Design Practice - 'Material' has been a central point of research and practice agendas for decades in design. Yet, how to design for material experiences has been poorly addressed to date. The MDD method presented herein aims to support designers in structuring, communicating, and reflecting on their actions in design for material experiences.

Citation: Karana, E., Barati, B., Rognoli, V., & Zeeuw van der Laan, A. (2015). Material driven design (MDD): A method to design for material experiences. International Journal of Design, 9(2), 35-54.

*Corresponding Author: e.karana@tudelft.nl.

Bahareh Barati is a PhD candidate in the Department of Design Engineering at Delft University of Technology (DUT). She received her B.A. and M.A. degrees in Industrial Design from the University of Tehran, and her M.Sc. degree (cum laude) in Industrial Design Engineering from DUT. For her master's graduation project, she worked with Phillips Research, where she developed a probe set for sensory evaluation of textile materials. She was nominated for UfD-Royal Haskoning DHV Best Graduate Award (2013). Funded by a European Union project (FP7) on Light.Touch.Matters, her PhD research focuses on designing with underdeveloped computational composites. Her research aims to shed lights on methodological and multidisciplinary challenges in such design projects, to facilitate designing of meaningful material applications that can have impacts on societies and advance reasons for existence.

Valentina Rognoli is assistant professor in the Design Department at Politecnico di Milano, Italy, where she conducts research activity in the field of materials for design. After two years at Enzo Mari's studio in Milan, Valentina focused her PhD research on materials and their expressive-sensory dimension, and developed an 'Expressive-Sensorial Atlas of Material' to improve materials education and research in the field of design. Her current research topics delve into digital manufacturing, DIY Materials, and imperfect material aesthetics and repair. She recently has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme for the project on Digital Do It Yourself-DiDIY ( www.didiy.eu).

Anouk Zeeuw van der Laan is an industrial design engineer. She received her BSc and MSc degrees from Delft University of Technology (DUT). In her master's graduation project, in collaboration with Politecnico di Milano, she identified 'coffee waste' as a valuable raw material, and used it as the departure point in the design process. She was nominated for UfD-Royal Haskoning DHV Best Graduate Award (2014). After her graduation in 2013, she worked as a designer and a design researcher for material driven design projects, including a project conducted for Innventia (Sweden), which is a research and development company that works with innovations based on forest raw materials.

Introduction

By acknowledging the dualist view of product materials-that they are required to contribute to satisfying both functional and hedonic needs of people (Hassenzahl, 2010)-it became clear that new materials development and application must necessarily be multidisciplinary. Recognizing this situation, material scientists and industries involved in the development of new materials have reached out to academics and professionals in design, art, architecture, and crafts (Miodownik, 2007). The underlying goal in such consultations and collaborations is to guide the development of materials by both experiential and functional goals (Ball, 1997; Ball, 2001; Miodownik, 2007). Design communities are continually evolving their ability to contribute scientifically to such developments, through improved knowledge and skills in 'understanding', 'interpreting', 'envisioning', and 'designing' for user experiences-where user studies and/or ' design-driven innovation ' strategies (Verganti, 2009) can be a conceptual starting point.

The potential for collaboration between the worlds of materials science and design has also been highlighted in recent European projects aiming at the co-development of semi-developed smart materials , e.g., DiaBSmart ( http://www.diabsmart.eu ), DAMADEI ( http://www.damadei.eu ), and Light.Touch.Matters ( http://www.light-touch-matters-project.eu) . Common to all, material properties are manipulated and new techniques are explored and applied to ultimately ' tailor materials ' (Lindberg, Hartzén, Wodke, & Lindström, 2013; Lindström, Gamstedt, Barthold, Varna, & Wickholm, 2008) for desired applications.

Coming back to our underlying argument, although the design and material industries are becoming deeply engaged in the creative challenge to achieve material functionality and meaning, there is not a systematic method to date on how to define and design for material experiences when a (new) material is the main point of departure in a design project (i.e., material driven design ). Most of the works referred to as 'material-driven' in the literature take a particular material as a starting point and explore its technical/engineering properties to embody a product (e.g., Dietz, Guthmanna, & Kortea, 2006; Jordan et al., 2013; Knauer, 2014), or they emphasize hands-on experimentations and prototyping with materials in the design process (van Bezooyen, 2013). We acknowledge these important attempts to bring 'material thinking' to the early steps of design processes and to mobilize unique technical characteristics of materials in the design process. A distinguishing feature of our stance, however, is its experience-oriented perspective . We aim to support designers to define and design for meaningful experiences with and for a material at hand, qualifying the material not only for what it is, but also for what it does (Manzini, 1986), what it expresses to us, what it elicits from us (Karana et al., 2014), and what it makes us do (Giaccardi & Karana, 2015).

Theoretical Foundation

The MDD method is grounded on the following premises, which we elaborate upon through the progression of this paper:

Designing with a material entails a thorough understanding of the material in order to discover its unique qualities and constraints in comparison to other materials. This can be achieved through 'tinkering with the material'-a kind of explorative process of creation and evaluation-starting from the first encounter with the material, until its final product embodiment at the end of the process.

Designing with a particular material in mind requires action steps to be followed that are comparable to a conventional product design process: understanding the domain (i.e., research in the field, benchmarking, market analysis, etc.), creating design requirements and objectives, creating concepts, and selecting and detailing one of the concepts towards product embodiment.

Materials Experience in MDD

Understanding The Material in MDD

The relationship between materials (as the matter or substance of things) and experience (as a way to know the world and to enrich knowledge of it) has long been emphasized in pioneering philosophical works. In the field of art, Focillon (1992) and Dewey (1980) emphasized the unique role of 'material engagement' in one's process of thinking and reflecting. Physical encounters with materials (or the aesthetic experiences that derive from hands-on manipulation of materials) can positively influence the creative process. Niedderer (2012) showed how such practical enquiries , or learning by doing , is mobilized in understanding the relationship between material, process, and form with regard to the creation of elastic movement. Material engagement in craft is a means to logically think, learn, and understand through sensing and immediate experience of materials (Adamson 2007; Ingold, 2013; Nimkulrat, 2012). In his Inaugural Address at Goldsmiths' College, University of London, Professor Martin Woolley (1998) eloquently pointed out that clay on the hands of a potter alternates between being part of the potter, part of the process of crafting a ceramic artefact, and part of the end artefact itself. In other words, materials are 'collaborators' (Rosner, 2012) in the craft process, enabling artisans to construct, enact, and reaffirm their identities (Tung, 2012).

In design, tutors at the Bauhaus were particular advocates of learning about/with materials. Around 1920, Itten formulated his 'theory of contrasts', which became fundamental to his educational approach for the Vorkurs (basic course) at the Bauhaus. Itten asked students to explore sensorial contrasts relevant to materials, such as smooth-rough, soft-hard, and light-heavy. The theory of contrasts gave attention to the 'nature' of materials, having the purpose of showing the essential and diverse characteristics of different matter. Furthermore, these contrasts had to be felt and not just seen. With this approach, Itten's students were able to experience and appreciate the character of materials directly through hands-on exploration (Itten, 1975).

After Itten, Moholoy-Nagy developed a course at the Bauhaus focusing on tactile experience of materials (Wick, 2000). This represented a migration away from the 'school of seeing' towards a greater emphasis on the sense of touch. In order to exercise the tactile experience, Moholoy-Nagy organized tactile tables, wheels, and ribbons onto which materials were arranged according to specific sensorial criteria, usually in the form of two line scales that could be held at the same time, for example, from smooth to rough or from sharp to dull.

Both Itten's and Moholy-Nagy's approaches emphasized the role of sensory encounters and hands-on manipulation in material understanding, whilst promoting design activity oriented to enrich desired experiences in final designs. Many designers in the history of design followed this notion and designed products by tinkering with materials and exploring their diverse texture and finishing possibilities, alongside phenomenological aspects that promoted discussion on the merits (or otherwise) of using particular materials for particular products. Today we still see such an approach in some pioneering designers' works: see for example the works of Tokujin Yoshioka (paper, glass), Piet Hein Eek (scrap wood), Paulo Ulian (marble), and Alberto Meda (carbon-fibre composites). Furthermore, in the field of Human Computer Interaction (HCI), tinkering with materials has been emphasized as a central practice within research (Jacobbson, 2013) to produce new knowledge and experience. In HCI, tinkering is to do with crafting interactive artifacts using physical-digital materials (Buxton, 2007; Holmquist, 2012; Löwgren & Stolterman, 2004; Sundström & Höök, 2010; Zimmerman, Forlizzi, & Evenson, 2007).

Today we also encounter several material-consulting companies (e.g., Material Connexion, Materia NL), whose services include access to physical material libraries for the purpose of material browsing and tinkering. Within University College London, the 'Institute of Making' ( http://www.instituteofmaking.org.uk/about ), provides design students and professionals with a creative environment to explore the technical and sensorial qualities of materials and their inter-relationships to 'making'.

Accordingly, MDD encourages tangible interaction with the material in hand, from the first encounter through to exploring and understanding the material in detail with its unique qualities and limitations. Over time, the designer who takes a MDD approach is expected to become a master of a given material: he/she will know how the material behaves under different circumstances or how it reacts when subjected to different making techniques or manufacturing processes.

The Process of MDD

Product designers are educated to follow a systematic approach to conceptualize and evaluate ideas and to translate them into functions, forms, and materials embodied in a final design (Cross, 2008; Hubka & Eder, 1992; Pahl & Beitz, 1996; Pugh, 1981; Roozenburg & Eekels, 1995). They make this translation in a sequence of design phases, such as the problem formulation phase (understanding the domain, creating design requirements, and objectives), the conceptual design phase, the embodiment design phase, and the detailed design phase (Cross, 2008). Tung (2012) successfully showed how these design phases are followed in revitalizing a local craft and a material. Accordingly he suggested that first the local settings, products, and the particular material at hand should be understood. Then problems and opportunities are listed and the decision on what to design is taken. In MDD, these design phases are retained. First, the material at hand and the domain are understood to create design requirements and objectives. Existing products, which are made of the same/similar material(s) falling under the same material category, are screened (i.e. , material benchmarking). Design objectives and requirements are conceptualized and finally embodied into materials/products.

On the other hand, as explained earlier, a distinguishing feature of our approach is its experience-oriented perspective . How can we design for experiences with and for a particular material at hand? Thus, although the main design phases have proved successful in designing with a material at hand, they do not support designers in deciding and designing experiences for the material. Accordingly, grounded on the ingredients of experience design (Desmet et al., 2011), the activities to create design requirements and objectives and conceptualize them for materials experience are gathered under the following main steps in MDD:

Understanding the current situation : how the material at hand is appraised by intended users, how it is experienced on sensorial, interpretative, affective, and performative levels, and how these experiences relate to physical (engineering) properties of the material.

Material Driven Design (MDD) Method

Having worked in the materials and design domain for a considerable time, we have gained experience across a large number of MDD projects including designing with natural fibre composites (Lagorio, 2014; Taekema & Karana, 2011), designing with bio-plastics (Karana & Nijkamp, 2014), designing with waste coffee grounds (Zeeuw van der Laan, 2013), designing with liquid wood (Manenti, 2011; Rognoli, Salvia, & Levi. 2011), and designing with computational composites (on-going PhD research by Bahareh Barati, TU Delft). Learning from these projects, reviewing advantages and disadvantages of steps in the design process, and drawing upon theoretical foundations introduced in this paper, we developed the Material Driven Design (MDD) Method to facilitate design processes in which materials are the main driver. We envisage three scenarios where designers can apply the MDD Method.

[Scenario 1]

Designing with a relatively well-known material, which will be accompanied by a fully developed sample (e.g., oak, titanium, polystyrene, etc.). Although the material is likely to have some settled meanings in certain contexts (e.g., traditional, cosy, high-tech, etc.), the designer seeks new application areas to evoke new meanings and to elicit unique user experiences.

[Scenario 2]

Designing with a relatively unknown material, which will be accompanied by a fully developed sample (e.g., liquid wood, D3O, thermochromic materials, etc.). The material is unlikely to linked to settled meanings, affording the designer opportunity to define application areas through which unique user experiences, identities for materials, and new meanings may be introduced.

[Scenario 3]

[MDD Method Step 1] Understanding The Material: Technical & Experiential Characterization

In MDD, a designer is first expected to understand the material in hand and characterize it both technically and experientially, so as to articulate the material's unique role (in contrast to alternative materials) when applied in products. This step includes tinkering with the material to get insights on what the material affords, its technical/mechanical properties, as well as how it can be shaped/embodied in products; material benchmarking to position the material amongst similar and/or alternative materials, to generate insights on potential application areas, emerging materials experiences and other emerging issues within the design domain; and user studies to explore how the material is received by people, how it is appraised (i.e., experiences related to aesthetics, meanings, and emotions), as well as what the material makes people do (Giaccardi & Karana, 2015). It should be recognised that these activities, which will be further described below, are not required to be applied in a sequential manner. Rather, a simultaneous approach is preferred to create synergies and mutual nurturing.

Technical Characterization of the Material

What are the main technical properties of the material (e.g., its strength, fire resistance, etc.)?

What are the constraints/opportunities of the material?

What are the most convenient manufacturing processes to form the material?

What about other manufacturing processes? How does the material behave when subjected to other processes?

It is expected that by the end of technical characterization the designer will have a clear understanding of the engineering (i.e., technical/functional and manufacturing process related) limitations of the material, as well as its unique technical properties to be harnessed in the final design.

Important lessons that we learned during the technical characterization of waste coffee grounds were that the particles in general decreased the strength of the created composite material. The particles were found to be most suited to creating bulk materials. We also learned that waste coffee grounds can be used as nutrient for plants, and that coffee particles do not set on fire but instead smoulder. How the resulting composite material will be produced depends mainly on the matrix material (e.g., PLA, latex, ABS), but because the particles are relatively small, they are not expected to constrain production processes. In Figure 2 the designer's 'tinkering activities' for technical characterization of the material are presented.

Experiential Characterization of the Material

In the experiential characterization of the material, first we recommend the designer should reflect on the experiential qualities of the material on four different experiential levels: sensorial, interpretive (meanings), affective (emotions), and performative (actions, performances) (Giaccardi & Karana, 2015). Then, he/she should delve into understanding how the material is received by people, again by using the four experiential levels as a foundational structure. For example, reactions may be recorded such as 'wow' (affective), 'it is strange' (interpretive), 'it is very soft' (sensorial), as well as observations that people may tweak the material, pat it, smell it, etc. (performative). Designers should tinker with the material to create samples of varying form (e.g., rounded, amorphous) and sensorial qualities (e.g., rough, elastic), and to collect substitute materials (in case of a not fully developed material) which would potentially elicit contrasting or complementary experiences in any or all of the four experiential levels. These activities would support the designer in seeing interrelationships between intended or observed experiences and the formal properties of the material. Focus groups, online questionnaires, and interviews can be conducted in such experiential studies, from which the designer will seek answers to the following questions:

What are the unique sensorial qualities of the material?

What are the most and the least pleasing sensorial qualities of the material (according to users)?

Is the material associated with any other material due to its similar aesthetics?

How do people describe this material? What kind of meanings does it evoke?

Does it elicit any particular emotions-such as surprise, love, hate, fear, relaxation, etc.?

How do people interact and behave with the material?

To facilitate this process, we suggest constructing a mind-map to present an overview of the findings. Traditionally this can help the designer to discover underlying motivations of designing or using a material (or its components if it is a composite material) across a variety of forms, products and contexts. A mind-map can also effectively depict interrelationships between detected performances, meanings, emotions, and sensorial qualities. Consequently, the designer can make decisions on, for instance, aiming to retain a settled meaning of the material, or aiming to generate novel meanings in an end (product) application. The implication here is that material properties, which evoke or are particularly associated with a settled meaning, should be either kept or modified in the final design.

For the waste coffee grounds project, to explore what people did when they interacted with the material, and how they went about appraising the material, several material samples having varied aesthetic qualities were collected and used in focus group studies and interviews. The pre-settled meanings 'environmental friendly' and 'natural' were detected. Colours and scent were found as two important sensorial qualities of the material to elicit these meanings, as well as to communicate the origin of the material. We found that imperfect surface qualities of the material were embraced, as typified by one of the focus group participants: "they enhance the naturalness of the material and create authentic patterns ." Furthermore, people wanted to touch and smell the samples with rough and imperfect surfaces, which were associated with 'nature and soil'. After learning the main material component, people were generally surprised, particularly in relation to the more homogeneous samples. Even though the material is a waste material, it did not recall negative associations such as 'low-quality'.

During experiential characterization of the material, the designer is also expected to position the material within a group of similar materials and their applications (i.e., material benchmarking) by delving into literature, design magazines, material websites, etc. The aim of this step is to map the potential application areas (by also reflecting back to the required technical specifications of the material for these areas), as well as to understand what kind of experiential issues are emphasized in the domain that the material is positioned, and what experiential qualities of the material can be observed or emphasized in the descriptions of other applications. Next to that, the material benchmarking is expected to reveal other issues, strategies, or values increasingly emphasized within the design domain in the last decades (e.g., design for sustainability, cradle to cradle: C2C, slow technology, etc.).

For example, if the material is a food-based composite, other food-based composites and their applications should be explored (see Figure 3 for a short overview of the products screened for the illustrative case). As depicted in the Figure, we found four application areas for food-based composites, which were shortly analysed particularly on the aesthetics (sensorial) level (e.g., scent intensity, visible fibres, etc.), as well as possible experiential issues mentioned in the description of these products (e.g., naturalness, imperfection, authenticity, Wabi-Sabi, and Standard Unique), and other issues emphasized within the design domain in relation to the materials (e.g., C2C, local production, design for sustainability).

Note that, having completed the first step and explored what has been done so far and what the material 'is', a designer might already have an idea on a possible application area, where unique technical properties and experiential qualities of a material are incorporated or come forward. He/she may then directly proceed to Step 4, where material/design concepts are created. However, caution should be exercised since moving directly from Step 1 to Step 4 may lead to rather conventional solutions, or a re-design of an existing product, which is acceptable in some circumstances but is not within the spirit of innovation and radical design contribution. When designers (or clients) would prefer to explore the 'unknown', outside of their prior experiences and comfort zone where they can push their creativity towards new applications, then they can proceed to Step 2 of the MDD method. Alternatively, on completion of Step 1, the designer may have become inspired to express particular meanings of the material in the final application (e.g., high-quality, natural, delicate, sportive, etc.). In this case, skipping to Step 3, where the patterns to create these meanings are manifested, is recommended.

[MDD Method Step 2] Creating Materials Experience Vision

Accordingly, in Step 2 of the MDD Method, first the designer is expected to encapsulate and reflect on the overall material characterization. The questions to be answered in the creation of the Materials Experience Vision can be listed as follows :

What are its unique technical/experiential qualities to be emphasized in the final application?

How would people interact with the material within a particular context?

What would the material's unique contribution be?

How would it be sensed and interpreted (sensorial and interpretive levels)?

What would it elicit from people (affective level)? Would it, for instance, contribute to the fulfillment of a hedonic need (Hassenzahl, 2010, e.g., feeling related, feeling stimulated, etc.)?

What would it make people do (performative level)?

What would be the material's role in a broader context (i.e., society, planet)?

Answering these questions, the designer can construct the Materials Experience Vision, which may accommodate various statements that could be interpretative (e.g., the material will express naturalness), affective (e.g., the material will surprise people), or performative (e.g., the material will require delicate use). In addition, the unique role and purpose of the material within a broader context may be defined (e.g., the material will make people aware of their consumption patterns; the material will make people to appreciate products made of 'waste' materials, etc.).

When the designer desires to go beyond initial findings, dig deeper to unfold the 'un-seen', and elaborate on how the user-product interaction would be (if there is no strict time concerns in a project), then he/she can progress to a supplementary step. Vision in Product Design (ViP), developed by Hekkert and van Dijk (2011), is one possible method to support a designer wishing to take such a journey. In ViP, within a set domain, findings are clustered so that they form unique and original insights. Structuring the clusters reveals coherence and focus, and ultimately leads to a vision statement, from which a user-product interaction is defined. The designer may ultimately use anecdotes, metaphors, or mood-boards to communicate the intended vision.

We clustered and structured our findings so that we could show how they complemented or challenged each other, and how together they formed new and original insights relevant to the application context (see Appendix 1). From that, our final vision statement was: 'I want people to desire to experience the material and be captivated in the course of emotional bonding with the material, like a tempting exposure in a cathedral'. The metaphor illustrates both desire and captivation. Tourists are eager to see what is happening: they desire to see what they are there for. The captivation is found in their mass-presence and lack of sight but persistence to witness the event.

[MDD Method Step 3] Manifesting Materials Experience Patterns

Nevertheless, it can be difficult to link a created vision to formal qualities of new materials and products. Therefore, herein first the vision and the interaction is further analysed to obtain 'meanings' (such as feminine, familiar, high-tech, etc., under the interpretative level of materials experience), which can be more easily operationalized in user studies (Karana, 2009). For example, relating certain material properties to the meaning high-tech would be much easier than detecting material properties that make people desire to experience a material.

Accordingly, we first distilled two meanings from the created vision to be further explored. In order to do that, we sought examples of the envisioned interaction (including tempting exposure and emotional bonding) from daily life, existing products, and existing materials. In a brainstorming session, we identified two meanings that evoke the aimed interaction as 'modest' (i.e., in relation to those things that create an emotional bonding across a longer time span) and 'provocative' (i.e., in relation to those things that will entice or provoke interaction, like a tempting exposure in a cathedral).

In order to find patterns to evoke the aimed meanings, another supportive method, the Meaning Driven Materials Selection (MDMS), is incorporated in MDD. Developed by Karana (Karana & Hekkert, 2010), the method familiarises the designer with key aspects (such as shape, user, manufacturing processes, etc.) playing an important role in attributing meanings to materials (e.g., a material might be appraised as cheap because of its transparency or easily stretchable surface qualities, and its sharp-edged shape). Most importantly, the method supports the designer in understanding other people's understanding of preferential meanings. In MDMS, a group of people are approached to participate in a study where they are given the following three tasks: (1) select a material that you think is 'X' (such as high-quality, feminine, modern, etc.), (2) provide a picture of the material (embodied in a product) you selected, and (3) explain your choice and evaluate the material against a set of specially devised sensorial scales . The results are evaluated both qualitatively (by analyzing the provided images and descriptions from the participants) and quantitatively (by performing a statistical analysis of sensorial scale ratings).

We used The Meanings of Materials Model to visualize data sets for the meanings 'modest' (Figure 4, above) and 'provocative' (Figure 4, below) as ' materials experience patterns '. The results of the MDMS study for the waste coffee grounds project, as collages of materials (embodied in objects) selected by users and results from sensorial scale gradings are presented in Appendix 2.

Another finding was that the modest materials gathered through MDMS were usually embodied in products that are used for the purpose of protecting or storing other products (e.g., iPhone case, protective packaging, etc.), while provocative materials were embodied in products necessitating high mechanical performance. However, during technical characterization, waste coffee grounds were found to decrease the performance of the overall composite material; therefore it is not probable that a 'high-performance' application for the material would result in success. On the other hand, we concluded that both modest and provocative materials could be tempting for physical interaction when imperfect surface qualities were kept, which would create a rather mysterious texture, holding a hidden message to be explored or revealed by the user.

[MDD Method Step 4] Creating Material/Product Concepts

Herein Stage 4, the designer integrates all his/her main findings into a design phase. It may not commence exclusively here; for example, even after just Step 1, the designer might already have an idea for an application (product) domain. In such cases, material considerations and product concept creation go hand in hand, and the material is shaped accordingly. Alternatively, if at the arrival at Step 4 no product idea has been contemplated, the designer now starts to make material concepts incorporating results from Step 3 and his/her experience through tinkering with the material gained from Step 1. In both cases, the performance of the concepts with greatest potential is tested through mechanical tests in a number of iterations, whilst the material experiential qualities are evaluated through interviews and focus group studies, etc.

In Scenario 3, a specific challenge can be faced by designers if the material is a smart composite. In such cases, the designer might not be able to create the ultimate material, but create or find different material samples to exemplify or mimic the sensorial qualities, or physical behaviour of the material envisioned. Then the designer can use these similar materials, or their modified versions, to test and verify the concepts in mind and to facilitate the material development by communicating with material engineers. At the end of this step, the created material concepts are analysed and the most promising and diverse materials are selected to be used in the product concept creation.

The process of arriving at a product concept is shortly presented below.

We conducted a creative session with 50 Master's level design students at Politecnico di Milano, Italy. In groups of two or three, the students were given a material package including (Figure 7):

One of the material concepts as a physical sample

Technical data-sheet about the given material concept

Materials Experience Patterns for 'provocative' and 'modest'

The students were asked to design a product with the given material concept by using the given technical data sheet and materials experience patterns; thus the ultimate product was expected to express the meanings 'provocative' and 'modest'. In total, five product ideas for each material concept were created. Some of the ideas were for products concerning a 'coffee ritual' (i.e., drinking or making). In most cases, there existed a strong link to nature. The aesthetics of the material, such as its dark brown colour, imperfect patterns, and texturization, were used to emphasize and enhance this link. Surprisingly, several gardening products were developed for all three material concepts (see Figure 8 for two of the created ideas).

We further analysed the ideas against their fit to the intended Materials Experience Vision; their feasibility (for cost and production); and their technical performance (whether the material can fulfill the required function). As a result, Cofflexi was found to be the least sustainable and feasible, due to excessive production processes, even though it was considered the most provocative and modest. The most successful concept was found to be Café Maché, especially considering the rapid transformation that the material can undergo. CapPurcino was also a good fit to the vision and had the most promising commercial potential.

Accordingly, we developed our final product concept using two of the material concepts (Zeeuw van der Laan, 2013). It is a set to grow greens at home, Cof2Grow (Figure 9). Café Maché was used for the packaging as well as a nutrient for tablets that contain seeds of preferred greens. The seeds sprout rapidly after adding water and the coffee grounds provide nutrients. The material changes quickly due to the growth inside, and after the seeds are fully grown and consumed, the entire tablet can be disposed of as organic waste. The tablets come with a pot that is made from CapPurcino, which can be reused. Taking into account the natural course of maturing of the material, it will change over time slowly due to the influence of UV and touch. Anticipating the process of curing the material, the pots are designed to have unique design features (e.g., different textures, different colour tones, etc.) for each cast. The product concept was carried to the next step to be tested in the lab and in the field, before final embodiment and detailing were completed.

In our final product concept, the selected materials were subjected to more in-depth technical tests. For the pot, we required several attempts to find a suitable component-ratio that resulted in correct sensorial qualities and sufficient mould fill. Sprouting seeds from the Café Maché tablets was a process of trial and error, to be further explored in the final embodiment and, ultimately, marketed product. Our reflection on the final experiential qualities of the material/product was as follows:

Sprouting the tablets deforms and darkens the Café Maché; a provocation and a captivating process that 'the user' wants the tablets to survive (after being deformed/sprouted).

Discussion

In this paper, we showed how the MDD method has proved successful in a particular project focusing on 'designing with waste coffee grounds'. The MDD method has also been effectively applied to other material driven design projects (see for example Lussenburg, van der Velden, Doubrovski, Geraedts, & Karana, 2014; Zeeuw van der Laan, 2014 ). The method will be further operationalized within dedicated courses on 'materials and design' given by the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering in Delft University and Technology and The School of Design in Politecnico di Milan. In this way we aim to demonstrate the usability of the method in diverse projects falling under the three different scenarios explained in this paper (i.e., designing with a well-known material , a fully developed new material , a semi-developed new material ). These projects will shed light on some material specific challenges, which we did not tackle in the project presented in this paper.

For example, we acknowledge two possible challenges to be faced by designers in designing with semi-developed smart materials. We anticipate that the characterization step of such materials would be rather different from what is discussed in this paper. The reason is that designers' knowledge about the material must be accumulated not through direct benchmarking or tinkering but by making references to other materials or technologies (e.g., existing user interfaces, sensors, etc.). In this paper we have not discussed any tools or strategies that can support designers in exploring and understanding the unknown characteristics of such novel materials.

In the illustrative case, we have incorporated two other methods (ViP and MDMS) as sub activities of MDD to help formulate Materials Experience Visions and manifest materials experience patterns. There are many other tools and methods of potential use within MDD that could not be introduced within the scope of this paper. For instance, the Expressive Sensorial Atlas by Rognoli (2010) is a useful tool to tinker with materials (for both Step 1 and 4 in MDD), facilitating understanding of sensorial qualities of materials in relation to underlying technical properties and the concept of inter-subjectivity (i.e., to what extent people agree that a material possesses certain sensory qualities). On the other hand, certain aspects of the MDD Method itself should be further refined, whilst additional tools and methods should be further developed to ease the four Steps. For example, developing tools and methods to support designers in tinkering with materials for experiential characterization, and a more refined method to create a Materials Experience Vision will be two crucial subjects for future research.

Informal discussions with potential end users showed that the envisioned materials experience for our final product was realized to a considerable extent. However, it should be recognized that a thorough assessment of the final design concept in an experiential level will require an additional set of studies with end users in the lab and real life contexts. As success of a design method is not judged with a concrete end result, in this paper the detailing of the action Steps and showing how these steps guided the designer through their journey was our primary concern, rather than assessing the final product.

The MDD Method suggests a sequence of steps to be conducted in the design process. However, the nature of a design project (e.g., large or small scale production, time concerns, limited budget, redesign of an existing product, etc.) might alter the way in which the steps are conducted or the depth to which they are explored, or even might result in omission of one or more steps. For example, if a client (i.e., project owner) requires a redesign of their existing product (e.g., coffee machine) made of a new material (e.g., a natural fibre composite), then a designer will have the application in mind from the beginning of the design process, and inevitably will consider the material within its future context throughout the material characterization process. In other words, design requirements that come along with the context of 'coffee machine' will be merged and compared with 'independent' material qualities and limitations. The designer might also skip Step 2, where the Materials Experience Vision is created, since completing Step 1 he/she might have some ideas on what would like to be expressed (i.e., meanings such as high-quality, natural) with the final material embodiment within the given context. In such cases, a transition directly from Step 1 to Step 3 might be appropriate to find patterns to evoke intended meanings. As explained earlier in the paper, Step 1 of the method may lead to rather conventional solutions as it is grounded on the merits of existing products, materials, etc. It is the designer's responsibility (and a MDD project requirement) to explore the 'unknown' and push creativity towards new material applications for the future.

Finally, as with any proposed method, an effective use of MDD will be seen through enhancements with practice, and use by multiple designers. We are certain that designers will invent their own ways of conducting the steps, add new steps, and use new supportive tools having had some experience of MDD.

Conclusion

This paper has been concerned with how to proceed when a 'material' is the explicit point of departure in the design process and 'experience' is the expected outcome. We have presented a design method entitled Material Driven Design (MDD), which represents our first attempt to facilitate such projects, considering both technical properties of materials and their experiential qualities in relation to how they are received by users. The method suggests that when a material is the point of departure in the design process, the designer takes a journey from material properties and experiential qualities to materials experience vision, from materials experience vision to experiential qualities and to material properties, and finally to products. Activities to support this journey are organized under four main steps as: (1) Understanding The Material: Technical and Experiential Characterization, (2) Creating Materials Experience Vision, (3) Manifesting Materials Experience Patterns, (4) Designing Material/Product Concepts. The method is explained with an illustrative case on 'designing with waste coffee grounds', which ends with the creation of a product concept. The presented case illustrates one of the possible scenarios we envision for MDD projects, where a material is not yet fully developed. Applying the MDD method to projects exemplifying other scenarios will bring new insights and help us to refine the method's steps to a greater level of detail and application.

Acknowledgment

We would like to thank our reviewers and Owain Pedgley for valuable feedback to earlier versions of this paper. We would also like to thank Adam Fairweather from Re-Worked for his support through the 'coffee waste ground project'.

Endnotes

1. 1. Wooley, M. (1998, May 5). Inaugural lecture given. Goldsmiths College, University of London, London, UK .

2. 2. Wabi Sabi is a continuous search for beauty in the truths of the natural world, using nature and its flows and flaws as an inspiration, but without revealing the truths of nature, i.e., keeping its mystery and qualities (Juniper, 2003).

3. 3. Standard Unique is a principle that deliberately embodies imperfections that are a result of production processes, assembly, and/or material properties to have unique objects as an outcome (Rognoli & Karana, 2014).

4. 4. Note that if we had continued with the first vision statement we created before we applied the ViP method, we could proceed with the meanings which we mentioned in the vision statement, such as natural, unique, personal, etc.

5. 5. After conducting a number of studies in recently done PhD research by Karana (2009), a set of sensorial qualities grouped under different sensory modalities was listed and promoted as the qualities that are more commonly used for attributing meanings to materials. See Appendix 2 for the list of sensorial qualities.

References

1. Ashby, M., & Cebon, D. (2007). Teaching engineering materials: The CES EduPack. Retrieved June 1, 2015, from http://web.mit.edu/course/3/3.225/refs/Teaching_ Engineering_Materials.pdf

2. Dupont. (2007). Corian®: 40 years - 40 designers. Retrieved June 24, 2015, from http://www2.dupont.com/40_40/en_GB/press_room/DuPont_Corian_40Years_40Designers_eng.pdf

3. Howes, P. D., Wongsriruksa, S., Laughlin, Z., Witchel, H. J., & Miodownik, M. (2014). The perception of materials through oral sensation. Plos One, 9(8): e105035. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0105035

4. Hubka, V., & Eder, W. E. (1992). Engineering design (1st ed.). Zurich, Switzerland: Heurista.

5. Lindberg, S., Hartzén, A. S., Wodke, T., & Lindström, M. (2013). Hierarchic design and material identity. Retrieved June 1, 2015, from http://www.mouldpulp.com/docs/OD2_Lindberg_etal.pdf

6. Lindström, M., Gamstedt, K., Barthold, F., Varna, J., & Wickholm, K. (2008). Hierarchical design as a tool in development of wood-based composite applications. Retrieved June 24, 2015, from http://extra.ivf.se/eccm13_programme/abstracts/228.pdf

7. 50. Miodownik, M., & Tempelman, E. (2014). Light touch matters. The product is the interface. Retrieved June 1, 2015, from http://www.light-touch-matters-project.eu/press/b079f8dc0dce2500df08ef2e657821e4.pdf

8. Rognoli, V., Salvia, G., & Levi, M. (2011). The aesthetic of interaction with materials for design: The bioplastics' identity. In Proceeding of the Conference on Designing Pleasurable Products and Interfaces (No. 33). New York, NY: ACM.

9. Roozenburg, N. F. M., & Eekels, J. (1995). Product design: Fundamentals and methods (1st ed.). Chichester, UK: Wiley.

10. Rosner, D. K. (2012). The material practices of collaboration. In Proceedings of the Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work (pp. 1155-1164). New York, NY: ACM.

11. Taekema, J., & Karana, E. (2012). Creating awareness on natural fibre composites in design. Retrieved June 24, 2015, from http://www.nfcdesign.org/nfc/wp-content/ uploads/2012/06/TaekemaKarana2012.pdf

12. Tung, F. W. (2012). Weaving with rush: Exploring craft-design collaborations in revitalizing a local craft. International Journal of Design, 6(3), 71-84.

13. Van Bezooyen, A. (2013). Materials driven design. In E. Karana, O. Pedgley, & V. Rognoli (Eds.), Materials experience: Fundamentals of materials and design (pp. 277-286). Oxford, UK: Butterworth-Heinemann.

14. Van der Lugt, P. (2008). Design interventions for stimulating bamboo commercialization: Dutch design meets bamboo as a replicable model (Doctoral dissertation). Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands.

15. Van Kesteren, I. (2008). Selecting materials in product design (Doctoral dissertation). Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.

Appendix 1

Clustering and structuring of findings to show how they complemented or challenged each other, and how together they formed new and original insights relevant to the application context. Two axes were identified: the horizontal axis represents the influence of the individual and whether this is intentional or impulsive, whereas the vertical axis describes the relationship between the user and the material. The distinction is between a physical and intangible (sentimental) relationship.

Appendix 2

The results of the MDMS study for the waste coffee grounds project: as collages of materials (embodied in objects) selected by users and results from sensorial scale gradings.

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Material Driven Design (MDD): A Method to Design for Material Experiences

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Materials research constantly offers novel materials as better alternatives to convention. Functional aptness is taken for granted at the first commercial launch of a new material. Nevertheless, this alone may not be enough for its commercial success and widespread use. The 'material' should also elicit meaningful user experiences in and beyond its utilitarian assessment.

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as tea bags are identical in shape I decided to play about with some of the modular shapes that you could make

- using hot glue, very easy to form shapes however tea bags are easy to tear so need some sort of protective coating

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2nd attempt of fusing tea bags together

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playing about with the chemical properties of tea

before

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after

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solutions

- cleaning
- dying clothes (different colours, different teas)
- use for skin care

physical
- mixing with  another material
- compression
(need samples)

Can you mix different types of tea?

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- biodegradable
- for my compression with an adhesive (e.g. PVA glue)
- maybe about to use honey to form?

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2nd test of playing about with the chemical properties of tea to help clean windows

before

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trying to come up with a way of binding the tea together to create shapes

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Before you toss another tea bag, must check out these Tea Bag Uses! You'll find out tea bags are not just for brewing tea.

Tea leaves contain around 4.15 percent nitrogen and other nutrition that nourish the soil. Tea leaves also improve soil structure and increase the drainage. Also, the tannic acid in tea leaves can mildly change and lower your soil pH, just like used coffee grounds.

Also Read: Used Coffee Ground Uses In Garden

1. Composting

Probably the most straightforward use of used tea bags. Tea bags are great to add to compost because they add nitrogen to the compost and also attract good bacterias. But before you toss your used tea bags into the compost pile, make sure they are not made up of plastic. If they are of plastic, slit open the bag and use tea leaves for composting.

2. Repel Pests

If you are looking for an organic way to repel pests, your used tea bags can help you. Simply brew a weak tea with old bags and use it to water your plants and also sprinkle on leaves. It is really a great organic way to deter pests and fungal diseases and also provide plants some nutritions in doing so.

3. Plant Food

Make your plants lush and happy with used tea leaves. Just tear open some tea bags and disperse the contents around the plants. Tea leaves will nourish your plants every time you water by increasing nitrogen levels, improving soil structure and giving earthworms something delicious to eat.

4. Feed your Acid-Loving Houseplants

Ferns and many other houseplants prefer acidic soil. Fertilize your acid-loving houseplants with used tea bags. Open up the tea bags and work used tea leaves into the soil in their pots. It will slightly lower the pH level and also provide your plants with some nutrition and minerals.

5. Speed up Composting

Brew a strong tea with used tea bags and after it had cooled down, pour the liquid and tea bags over your compost heap. It will speed up the composting process as tea leaves contain nitrogen and also make your compost acid rich slightly.

6. Natural Fertilizer for Potted Plants

Just brew a weak tea with used tea bags and substitute water with it. Brewed tea leaves make a fabulous liquid fertilizer as they contain high levels of minerals, carbohydrates, and other nutrients that help plants to grow.

7. Give Roses a Boost

Roses love tea leaves. Slit open the used tea bags and sprinkle tea leaves around your roses to give them a boost.

Remember Roses love the tannic acid that occurs naturally in tea

Also Read: How to Become Master in Growing Roses

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7 Best Tea Bag Uses That Will Do Miracles In Your Garden

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Tea leaves contain around 4.15 percent nitrogen and other nutrition that nourish the soil. Tea leaves also improve soil structure and increase the drainage. Also, the tannic acid in tea leaves can mildly change and lower your soil pH, just like used coffee grounds.

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- dilutes in water (makes tea), every time you use the bag the weaker the tea becomes
- has cleaning properties
- encourages plant growth
- skin care properties
- able to mix with other solutions

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- absorbs liquid
- dry tea is very light
- good at absorbing force when it a tea bag (able to put lots of vertical force on a tea bag)
- tears very easily when horizonal forces used
- very malleable when the tea is wet,  clumps together to form shapes, however falls to bits once dry again
- smells nice!!!!!

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- used ski wax (easy to shape)
- PVA glue (not biodegradable)
- water based glue
- homemade (using other waste products)
- egg?

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try mixing the the tea with one of these bioplastics

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Download Article

Download Article

A bioplastic is a type of plastic that can be made from plant starches or gelatins/agars. They are better for the environment because they are not derived from petroleum. They can also be easily made at home with a few simple ingredients and a stove!

Using Cornstarch and Vinegar

1. Gather the necessary materials. To make this type of bioplastic, you will need cornstarch, distilled water, glycerol, white vinegar, a stove, a saucepan, a silicone spatula, and food coloring (if desired). These items should be readily available at the grocery store or online. Glycerol is also called glycerine, so try searching for that if you're having trouble finding glycerol. The following amounts of each ingredient are needed to make the bioplastic:

10ml distilled water

0.5-1.5g glycerol

1.5g cornstarch

1ml of white vinegar

1-2 drops food coloring

Adult supervision is recommended.

2. Heat on medium-low. Place the saucepan on the stove and set the heat to medium-low. Stir continuously as the mixture heats. Bring it to a gentle boil. As the mixture heats, it will become more translucent and begin to thicken.

Remove the mixture from the heat when it becomes clear and thick.

Total heating time will be around 10-15 minutes.

Lumps may begin to form if the mixture gets overheated.

Add one-two drops of food coloring at this stage, if you would like to color the plastic.

3. Allow the plastic to dry for at least two days. It will take time for the plastic to dry and harden. As it cools, it will begin to dry out. Depending on the thickness of the plastic, it can take longer for it to dry. If you make one small thick piece it will take longer to dry than a thinner larger piece.

Leave the plastic in a cool, dry place for this process.

Check the plastic after two days to see if it has fully hardened.

Using Gelatin or Agar

1. Gather the necessary materials. To make this type of bioplastic, you will need gelatin or agar powder, glycerol, hot water, a saucepan, a stove, a spatula, and a candy thermometer. These ingredients should be readily available at your local grocery store. Remember, glycerol is also known as glycerine, so look for that if you can't find glycerol. You will need the following amounts of each ingredient:

3g (½ tsp) glycerol

12g (4 tsp) gelatin or agar

60ml (¼ cup) hot water

Food coloring (optional)

Agar is a substance derived from algae that can be used in place of gelatin to make the bioplastic vegan friendly

2. Pour the plastic onto a smooth surface covered with foil or parchment paper. After you remove the pan from the heat source, you will need to remove any excessive froth. Spoon it out before pouring the plastic out of the pan. Stir everything to remove all clumps from the plastic.

If you just want to make plastic for fun, pour the mixture out onto a smooth surface. Make sure the surface is covered with foil or parchment paper so the plastic can be removed easily.

If you want to mold the plastic into a specific shape, you will need to do it during this step. Refer to the last method on molding for more details and help.

Molding the Bioplastic

Make a mold for the plastic. A mold is the negative of a shape that you would like to make. You can make a cast of an object you would like to reproduce by sculpting two pieces of clay around the object. When the clay dries, remove the two pieces. If you fill each half with the liquid plastic and then put the halves together, you can make a copy of that object. You can also use a cookie cutter to cut shapes out of the plastic while it is still warm.

An alternative to making your own mold, is to purchase a mold at a craft or hobby shop.

These recipes can be altered by adding more glycerol for a rubbery finish, or less glycerol for a more rigid finish.

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Things You'll Need

Using Cornstarch and Vinegar

10 milliliters (mL) distilled water

0.5 -1.5 grams (g) glycerol

1.5 g cornstarch

1 mL of white vinegar

1-2 drops food coloring

Non-stick spatula

Non-stick saucepan

Foil or parchment paper

Using Gelatin or Agar

3 grams (½ tsp) glycerol

12 g (4 tsp) gelatin

60 mL (¼ cup) hot water

Food coloring (optional)

Non-stick spatula

Non-stick saucepan

Foil or parchment paper

Candy thermometer

This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 266,364 times.

Updated: November 18, 2020

The easiest way to make bioplastic is to combine 10mL of distilled water, 1 mL of white vinegar, 1.5 grams of cornstarch, and 0.5 grams of glycerol in a pot and stir. Boil the mixture until it becomes clear and thick, then pour it onto parchment paper in the shape you want. Let the mixture cool for 2 days or until fully hardened, then use! For help making bioplastic if you don't have cornstarch, keep reading!

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 266,364 times.

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# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A bioplastic is a type of plastic that can be made from plant starches or gelatins/agars. They are better for the environment because they are not derived from petroleum. They can also be easily made at home with a few simple ingredients...

# data[].attributes.body
Ingredients
-2 tea bags
-4g gelatine
-4ml glycerine
-3ml white vinegar
-5ml water

Process
- same process as test 1 and 2

Findings
- by increasing the percentage of tea leaves in the specimen it helped to create a more dense material eliminating the holes and thus creating a stronger structure.
- still cracking at the top and bottom

# data[].attributes.body
A helpful link when trying to think of ingredients to mix with the tea leaves to form a material.

# data[].attributes.body
Ingredients
-one tea bag (just tea)
-3g gelatine
-3ml glycerine
-3ml white vinegar
-5ml water

Process
- using a heated pan
- dissolve the gelatine in the water
- add the glycerine and vinegar
- wait until boiling before mixing in the used tea leaves
- take mixture and compress using a flat surface
- place in the oven at 200 Celsius  for 10 minutes to extract the moisture and binding the mixture together

Findings
- burnt in colour
- very brittle
- shrivelled up
- light weight
- smells nice!!
- crumbly at the ends, where the surface is uneven

# data[].attributes.body
Sensorial qualities
- very brittle
- crumbly edges
- spice aroma
- light weight
- dark colour

Best quality? bending strength
Worst quality? uneven shape

What material does it make you think of ? dried orange peel

How would you describe this material? strong but extremity brittle with a course dark surface

What emotions does it evoke? wet forests

How do you interact and behave with this material? tapping on a table to see that its solid and playing with the strength of  it without breaking it

# data[].attributes.body
Ingredients
-2 tea bags
-4g gelatine
-8ml glycerine
-3ml white vinegar
-10ml water

Process
- same process as test one however I used a rolling pin to shape the mixture and also placed a baking tray on top of the specimen in order to keep it from rising in the oven

Findings
- nice even bake on the specimen,
remained flat
- very flexible and easy to bend
- easy to tear and pull apart
- mixture split in the oven leaving lots of holes in the specimen

# data[].attributes.body
Sensorial qualities
- rubbery texture
- quite malleable
- spice aroma

Best quality? its feel, how it moves
Worst quality? holes in the material makes it look uneven

What material does it make you think of ? rubber

How would you describe this material? combination of dense yet spongey

What emotions does it evoke? exciting because it is a solid that is flexible which is made  of tea

How do you interact and behave with this material? want to bend and flex the material in different directions in your hand

# data[].attributes.body
- the addition of the flour to the mixture created a smoother surface.
- has become more brown

# data[].attributes.body
- played about with placing the material in tap water for 10minutes

- this tea was still able to be extracted in the water whilst also holding it for a few minutes. However after taking the specimen out it easily fell apart

# data[].attributes.body
Ingredients
-6 tea bags
-8g gelatine
-8ml glycerine
-5ml white vinegar
-15ml water
-25g corn flour

Process
- same process as test 1 and 2
- kneed in the flour to the mixture
- using a rolling pin to shape

Findings
- the addition of the flour produced a smoother  surface
- once baked and cooled material becomes a strong tear free object

# data[].attributes.body
sensorial Qualities
-lumpy
-clucky
-heavy
-very solid
-dark brown
- strong tea smell

Best quality? solid, unbreakable feel
Worst quality? clunky, rigid feel

what materials does it make you think of? -  focalised wood. Feels like a stones look like wood

How would you describe this material? like a hockey puck

What emotions does it evoke?Reliable, weathered, sturdy

How do youinteract and behave with this material? pick it up and drop it to test its strength. Want to smell it

# data[].attributes.body
Ingredients
-6 tea bags
-8g gelatine
-8ml glycerine
-5ml white vinegar
-15ml water
-25g corn flour

Process
- same process as test 1 and 2
- kneed in the flour to the mixture
- using a rolling pin to shape,, making sure to create a bigger thickness

Findings
same material properties as test 4 however much less prone to tearing or snapping

# data[].attributes.body
- same Ingredients used as in test 4
- same process
- placed  material is a curved mould before putting in the oven

Findings
- resulted in a solid curved surface
- slightly weaker at the base of the sample compared to previous tests
- consider increasing the thickness at these points

# data[].attributes.body
From reading the article titled 'Material Driven Design' (text 1). I have learnt a suitable way of undertaking this project in order to produce the best possible outcome.

these steps are....

- research the field/market analysis

- creating design requirements / objectives

- creating concepts

- selecting

- detailing one of the concepts towards product embodiment

# data[].attributes.body
- I will also be using this method of development to help me on this project

# data[].attributes.body
Because these tea bag's contain pp plastic and thus cannot biodegrade I want to separate the tea leaves from the bag's. This will therefore give me the ability to make at least one biodegradable material.

# data[].attributes.body
After reading the recipe book provided I have used recipe one as a way of binding the tea together. I chose this recipe as all the ingredients will biodegrade. Also the recipe was useful to get the correct ratios of ingredients.

Aims
- fully biodegradable
- don't crumble to bits once dry
- suitably  strong
- easy to shape

# data[].attributes.body
Again using the recipe book provided I am going to try and create a modular flat material out of the tea bags.

Aims
- holding together
- long lasting
- has a use
- interesting to look at, feel

# data[].attributes.body
Binding one tea bag to another tea bag and increase the strength of the tea bag

# data[].attributes.body
-“experiences that people have with, and through, the material of a product”

Three experiential components:
- Aesthetic experience (cold, smooth, shiny)
- Experience of meaning (modern, sexy, cosy)
- Emotional experience (feel amazed, surprised, bored).

Lately added the performance level of the material.

# data[].attributes.body
Sensorial qualities
- rigid, brittle edge solid
- dark colour
- light in weight
- surface is like a pumice stone
- looks porous

Best quality ?so light
Worst quality? very brittle

What material does it make you think of ? solidified volcanic lava rock

How would you describe this material? dark and crusty. like you've burnt something in the oven

What emotions does it evoke?  not giving any strong emotion

How do you interact and behave with this material?  like feeling the smooth texture on one side and the rough on the other. Sliding it through your fingers

# data[].attributes.body
Sensorial qualities
- very smooth
- solid, like a plastic
- textured colour like animal hide
- no smell
- light

Best quality? its leathery look and feel
worst quality? how rigid it is

What materials does it make you think of? well worn leather

How would you describe this material? old leather that has dried up and gone solid and stiff

What emotions does it evoke? smooth touch gives it a relaxing feel

How do you interact and behave with this material? stroke the material feeling its smoothness and wanting to try and bend it.

# data[].attributes.body
Bind one tea bag to the other

# data[].attributes.body
Sensorial qualities
- super light
- light brown (stained)
- looks like tea bags
- delicate

Best quality? extremely flexible
Worst quality? its look

What materials does it make you think of? - cloth, toilet roll, kitchen roll

How would you describe this material? meshed, tie dyed brown coloured. like a fragile leaf

Emotions?

Interact and behave with this material? holding it like a tissue making sure not to tear it

# data[].attributes.body
ingredients
- 3 tea bags
- thread

Process
- place the tea bags under a hot iron to flatten
- position the three tea bag's
- sew the three bag's together

Findings
- thread works well at binding the bags together
- tea bag's are still weak and tear easily so not many applications that this would be useful for

# data[].attributes.body
Sensorial qualities
- shaped
- lightweight
- dark tea coloured
- strong tea smell
- rigid, sense that it could be brittle

Best quality? shape and smell of tea
Worst quality? uneven and unattractive surface

What materials does it make you think of? -  old leather

How would you describe this material? well worn leather

What emotions does it evoke? tough

How do you interact and behave with this material? want to put something inside it

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It takes a brave and hearty (and spartan) soul to give up coffee and tea in the name of food miles. Many do, but morning caffeine is the guilty pleasure that whispers in a voice too alluring for many to resist. One thing is for sure: it's generally a long journey for beans and leaves to travel from exotic climes to the kitchen counter - so we may as well honor them with some extra chores before condemning them to the trash. For those who add their spent dregs to the compost bin, you can still do so in many of these applications once their mission has been accomplished.

What to Do With Coffee Grounds

1. Soften skin

Exfoliate with a body scrub made of coffee grounds, coconut oil and a little brown sugar. Gently massage it on in the shower, rinse, be soft.

2. Please the flowers

Use coffee grounds as mulch for acid-loving plants - roses, azaleas, rhododendrons, evergreens, hydrangeas and camellias. They like coffee grounds for the natural acidity and nutrients they add to the soil.

3. Sadden the ants

Sprinkle coffee grounds around areas of ant infestation to deter them.

4. Deter gastropods

Used grounds are said to repel snails and slugs, so sprinkle them in problem areas.

5. Simplify fireplace cleaning

Before cleaning the fireplace, sprinkle with dampened used coffee grounds, which will weigh down the ash and thus eliminate clouds of smoke-flavored dust.

6. Make a sepia dye

Soak used grounds in hot water and use as a dye bath for Easter eggs, fabric and paper for a lovely, soft brown tinge.

7. Keep cats at bay

Keep kitties out of the garden with a mixture of orange peels and used coffee grounds distributed around plants.

8. Encourage the carrots

To boost a carrot harvest, mix seeds with dried coffee grounds before sowing. The extra bulk makes the wee seeds easier to manage, while the coffee aroma can nourish the soil and help repel pests.

What to Do With Tea Leaves and Tea Bags

Some tips call for dried leaves, here's how. When you're finished brewing tea, place the leaves into a large strainer or colander. Press out as much moisture as possible, and then spread the leaves on paper. Let the leaves dry thoroughly, turning over several times in the process. Also note that wet tea leaves stain, so if you are using wet tea leaves on or near a porous surface, be sure to test in an inconspicuous place first.

9. Tame stings and burns

Cool tea bags can bring relief when applied to bug bites and minor burns, including sunburn. For overall skin irritation, put spent tea leaves in a bath and soak.

10. Soothe your eyes

The tannins in tea have anti-inflammatory effects, which is why cool ones are often employed on puffy eyes. (The chill also helps with swelling.)

11. Feed the garden

Use tea leaves as food for garden plants - green tea is high in nitrogen, and as a bonus, the leaves can ward off pests and insects. This is also good for houseplants, so add old tea leaves to their water.

12. Boost potted plants

When potting plants, place a few used tea bags on top of the drainage layer at the bottom of the planter before adding soil. The tea bags will help to retain water and will also leach some nutrients into the potting medium.

13. Quell the cat box smell

Sprinkle used, dried tea leaves in litter boxes to help reduce the smell.

14. Eliminate other pet odors

Sprinkle dried, used green tea leaves on your pet's pillow, bed, in the doghouse, or other smelly spots to eliminate odor.

15. Freshen the carpet

Sprinkle dry tea leaves onto the carpet, crush them lightly and let sit for 10 minutes, then vacuum. This will refresh the carpet and deodorize your vacuum cleaner and bag. (Especially helpful if you have pets.)

16. Treat the dog

As an extravagance, loose leaf gunpowder tea is a treat for dogs to roll around in. It's great for the aroma and luster it adds to the coat.

17. Freshen mats and beds

It is common in Southeast Asia to wash straw sleeping mats in tubs of water to which tea has been added. The tea works as a deodorizer, so you can apply this method to yoga mats and air mattresses.

18. Save the fridge

If you're out of baking soda, place dried, used green tea bags or leaves in a small open bowl in your refrigerator to help absorb odors.

19. Wash your hands

Rid your hands of food odors (garlic, onions, etc.) by rubbing them with wet green tea leaves, an instant deodorizer.

20. Deodorize kitchen surfaces

Rub wet tea leaves on cutting boards and counters to remove food odors.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
20 Ways to Reuse Coffee Grounds, Tea Leaves

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It takes a brave and hearty (and spartan) soul to give up coffee and tea in the name of food miles. Many do, but morning caffeine is the guilty pleasure that whispers in a voice too alluring for many to resist.

# data[].attributes.body
Sensorial qualities
- textured
- light weight
- shines in the light
- copper, rust, gold shades
- flexible solid but has a limit

Best quality? interesting colours and texture
Worst quality? incompleteness

What materials does it make you think of? -  bark of a tree

How would you describe this material? Dried autumn leaves with a similar strength to thick paper

What emotions does it evoke? relaxing, nature

How do you interact and behave with this material? touching and flexing it in the light to make it glisten in the light

# data[].attributes.body
Ingredients
-3 tea bags
-8g gelatine
-8ml glycerine
-5ml white vinegar
-15ml water

Process
- using a heated pan
- dissolve the gelatine in the water
- add the glycerine and vinegar
- wait until boiling
- take the tea bag and flatten using an iron
- pour the mixture over the tea bag's
- place in the oven at 200 Celsius  for 10 minutes to extract the moisture and binding the mixture together

Findings
- glue binds the tea bags well
- parts that are covered with the glue become brittle
- light easily passes through the solid

# data[].attributes.body
Ingredients
-3 tea bags
-6g gelatine
-6ml glycerine
-3ml white vinegar
-5 ml water

Process
- using a heated pan
- dissolve the gelatine in the water
- add the glycerine and vinegar
- wait until boiling
- dip the tea bags in the solution
- place between grease proof paper
- put in oven for 10min at 200 Celsius

Findings
- remain sticky even after a few days
- much harder to tear the tea bags
- good solid binding between the bags
- light reflects off the material when looking at it on the side that the light is being pointed however light can be seen to go though the material when looking on the other side

# data[].attributes.body
Sensorial qualities
- dark
- shiny, glistens
- tough
- extremely flexible
- feels like one material not three tea bags
- waxy texture
- slight elastic movement

Best quality? ability to contour around objects due to its strength and flexibility
Worst quality? quite unattractive dark colour

What materials does it make you think of? rubbery plastic bag

How would you describe this material?  thin, malleable , speckled dark surface

What emotions does it evoke? Creepy with its rubber/textured feel.  Surprised with its strength

How do you interact and behave with this material? bending flexing it. Shaping  it around your hand. Tugging the corners to test the strength of the joins between the tea bags

# data[].attributes.body
- Moholoy-Nagy focused on the tactile experience of materials

-Itten formulated his ‘theory of contrasts’. Explore the sensorial contrasts relevant to Materials

- the role of sensory encounters and hand-on manipulation helps us to fully understand a material.

- the idea of tinkering with a material encourages you to think about the texture, finishing, phenomenological aspects of a material. Also prompts discussion on the good and bad parts as well as other possibilities.