NETTLE PAPER

1.
first
paper samples

END PHOTO AND PRODUCT

FIRST
SAMPLES

2.
research
nettle

3.
research folding

4.
aesthetics

5.
leafs
on top
aesthetic

6.
to go forms

DIFFERENT FOLDING TECHNIQUES

AFTER FINDING OUT THAT PUTTING THE LEAVES IN THE PULP DID NOT WORK, I STARTED PUTTING THEM ON TOP. THIS LED ME TO CREATING PATTERNS AND HAVE MORE CONTROL OF THE AESTHETIC.

AFTER MAKING TOO DIFFICULT DESIGNS FOR FOLDING I WANTED TO FOCUS ON SIMPLE FOLDINGS INSTEAD. I USED SIMPLE TECHNIQUES TO SEE HOW THE PAPER WOULD REACT TO IT. I FOUND OUT THAT THE PAPER BREAKS EASILY IF IT IS FOLDED, BUT IT WAS REALLY STEADY IF IT DRIED ON A MOLD.

A CONE FOLD WITH USE OF DRIED STICKS ON THE PULP.

I WANTED TO TRY TO FIND A WAY WHERE I COULD BE MORE IN CHARGE OF THE AESTHETICS OF THE PAPER. I WANTED TO KEEP THE QUALITIES OF THE NETTLE IN THE PAPER AND DID NOT WANT TO USE OTHER MATERIALS.
TO GET MORE CONTROL OVER HOW THE PAPER CAME OUT I DID THE FOLLOWING: I TRIED MIXING THE PAPER WITH AIR DRIED, FRESH AND OVEN BAKED NETTLE LEAFS. I USED DIFFERENT SIZES, SMALL AND BIGGER PIECES. I ALSO PUT THE STEMS INSIDE THE PULP TO SEE IF I COULD CREATE A PATTERN FROM WITHIN.

PATTERN SKETCHES

AFTER MY RESEARCH OF POTENTIAL FIBERS I WENT FURTHER WITH THE NETTLE. I TRIED OUT MIXING THE NETTLE LEAFS WITH PAPER AND NETTLE LEAFS ON TOP OF PAPER.

TO FULLY EXPLORE THE POTENCY OF THE NETTLES I SEPARATE THE LEAFS AND STEM AND DID MULTIPLE TEST COMBINING THESE TWO BUT ALSO SEPARATELY LOOKING AT THEIR POTENCIES

THE STEM OF THE NETTLE PLANT

I did multiple tests where I mixed the stems with the leafs. I played with the size, by cutting it in small or bigger pieces.

CONCEPT: I STARTED TO CREATE FOLDING TECHNIQUES TO CREATE FOOD CONTAINERS. BECAUSE I WANTED TO EXPLORE THE FLEXIBILITY OF THE PAPER AND SEE IF I COULD MAKE FOLDS THAT SHOW THIS FLEXIBILITY.

LOOKING FOR WAYS OF FOLDING TO CREATE A FOODCONTAINER. THIS BY USING STICKS AND ROPE.

I FOUND OUT THAT THE PATTERNS WHERE HARD TO SEE AND ALSO TO CONTROL. I DID NOT SEE THE POTENCY OF THIS IDEA TO KEEP FURTHER IN MY DESIGNS AND DECIDED TO LET IT GO.

YOU COULD NOT SEE THE DIFFERENT SIZES OF THE LEAFS AFTER MIXING THEM IN THE PULP. AFTER DRYING THE PAPER SAMPLES DID NOT SMELL FRESH ANYMORE, AND THE LEAVES LET A TRACE OF A DARK COLOUR WHAT PROBABLY ALSO GAVE THE BAD SMELL.

BY TRYING OUT DIFFERENT LENGTHS OF CUTTING THE LEAFS AND STARTED EXPLORING DIFFERENT WAYS AND TIMES TO PUT THE LEAFS ON TOP OF THE PAPER PULP. THIS WORKED OUT REALLY NICELY. THE LEAFS WOULD ALSO DRY BETTER AND DID NOT LEAVE
A TRACE. THE SMELL BECAME BETTER AFTER IT DRIED, WICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE EVENTUALLY THERE HAS TO BE FOOD SERVED FROM IT.

THIS SAMPLE DID NOT LAST LONG. THE FOLD WAS TO SHARP FOR THE PAPER TO HANDLE.

THE STRENGTH OF THE PAPER BECOMES A LOT BETTER WHEN IT IS DRIED IN A MOLD. IT DOES NOT BREAK DOWN EASILY AND IT MAKES IT EASIER TO MODEL THE DESIGN.

FOR THE ENDPRODUCT I MADE TWO PIECES OF FOOD CONTAINERS. ONE IS A CONE THAT CAN BE USED FOR EXAMPLE FOOD THAT IS CUT IN LONGER PARTS AND THE OTHER DESIGN CAN BE USED FOR SANDWICHES/ PITA/ WRAPS/ FINGER FOOD ETC.

THE FOOD CONTAINERS ARE MADE FOR THE PURPOSE OF DELICATESSE FOOD, WICH ARE AVAILABLE AT FOR EXAMPLE FOOD TRUCKS AT FESTIVALS OR FOR FOOD STENTS IN A PARK. GOOD QUALITY FOOD ON NEW QUALITY PAPER

END PHOTOGRAPHY

I LATER FOUND OUT THAT THE PAPER DID NOT LAST LONG IN A FOLD, SO THESE DESIGN WOULD NOT POSSIBLE TO MAKE IN THIS ORIGINAL IDEA. THE DESIGNS HAD TO BE SIMPLIFIED.

I STARTED EXPLORING WITH THE POSSIBILITIES OF OTHER MATERIALS IN AND ON TOP OF PAPER IN SEPTEMBER. I TRIED A LOT OF THINGS, BUT A LOT OF IT WHERE JUST RANDOM THOUGHTS. THAT IS WHY WHEN I WENT FURTHER WITH THIS PROJECT I LISTED FIBERS AND OTHER MATERIALS THAT COULD INFLUENCE THE PAPER AND COULD REPLACE THE WOOD FIBRES.

I WANTED TO SHOW THE 'FOLDS' BY LEAVING A SMALL STRIPE OF THE PAPER. THIS IS WHERE I PUT THE PAPER ON TOP OF EACH OTHER AND LET IT DRY. THE STRIPES ALSO GIVES OTHER HOLDING POSSIBILITIES AND LET THE USER BE CREATIVE ABOUT THE WAY OF USE. THE CONE IS MORE FLAT ON ONE SIDE SO IT CAN ALSO LAY DOWN ON A TABEL. THE OTHER CONTAINER IS EASY TO HOLD IN YOUR HAND AND CAN ALSO BE LAYED DOWN ON THE TABLE. BECAUSE OF THE STRIPE IT CAN BE VERTICALLY PLACED.

CHOSEN PRODUCTION PROCES

PATTERN SKETCHES

The nettle is a plant that grows all over the Netherlands but is not known for its qualities. Rather that it hurts when you touch it. I wanted to investigate how you can make paper with it. As a result of this research, I have created a food container that matches the environment in which it is used: at the park or at food festivals.

KEY EXPERIMENTS

• See what the different qualities in the nettle are by seperating the leaves from the stem and look for their potencies -> I found out that the stem is not necessarily needed.

• Mixing paper and egg carton and see if this gives it more body or if the colour changed -> the colour changed to a lighter green and it gives the paper more strength.

• Adding leaves to the pulp and see if it fit keeps it forms -> made me think of new ways to adjust the aesthetics of the paper

• Folding techniques and how I could make it work with this paper, because it could break off easily -> I found out that folding was not possible, because the paper would break

• The ways of drying the leaves and look at their potencies -> the colours changed per drying technique which I could play with.

DESIGN CRITERIA

.

REFLECTION

The flexibility of the paper

Simplicity in the design

The smell and fresh look of the paper

A unique alternative compared to other food containers

The food containers made from nettle paper are a unique alternative of the already existing food containers. It shows the potencies of the nettle plant and that you can make a working product out of this plant. The next step would be to see if this product would be reproduceable on a bigger scale, because then it could be a product that can be used as a food container at festivals and for to go food.

I wanted to research the potencies of the nettle combined with paper making and see what It could to for the end product. In this research I looked at the qualities of the samples and wanted to make sure it was flexible, looked and smelled fresh and showed the potency of a plant not everybody sees the potency in.

How can I use nettle as a source for paper making?
How can I make it look like a new and interesting material?

RESEARCH APPROACH

CENTRAL QUESTTIONS

PROJECT ABSTRACT