DUST LONDON
Through their collaborative design studio Dust London, Michael Mcmanus and Matthew Grant have created a process to make use of contaminated cardboard waste that can’t be recycled in the usual way. ‘We wanted to push the cardboard waste material to challenge people’s expectations of material selection in design,’ the designers explain. ‘Our processes are largely influenced by traditional paper-making tools and techniques from the 19th century.’ This method sees cardboard torn and soaked until the cellulose fibres start to break down, before being further split and drained until they reach the desired consistency.
‘The resulting surface texture of the material emulates the ruggedness of natural rock,’ they explain. ‘We use a reusable screen-print sheet to shape the material and give it a subtle fabric-like quality.’ The process also allows them to introduce colour into the mix, which they do with vibrancy. ‘We are drawn by the way that lichen clings onto rock and how acidic hues contrast with the natural greys of a landscape.’ You can see Dust London’s process in practice at Aybar Gallery, where an exclusive collection of side tables lets cardboard take centre stage.