IDEAS FOR GOODThe world is full of things, made and thrown away in large quantities. Doubts have surfaced among an increasing number of people about such a world. In recent years, the terms “sustainability” and “ethical” have gained recognition, bringing natural materials and biodegradable materials into the spotlight. However, there is a thought somewhere in our minds, “We will eventually reach the limit of resources if we continue only to create new materials.”
Some creators are particular about upcycling. Material designer Yuki Murakami upcycles “Café au lait” to make lampshades and vases. The very same warm Café au lait in a mug that you desire to drink on a cold morning.
We talked to Yuki Murakami, the material designer who developed “Café au lait,” a material made from the same ingredients as café au lait.
Intervewee Profile: Yuuki Murakami
Born in 1998. He developed banana leather for his graduation work at Nagoya University of the Arts. After graduating from college, he worked as a freelance material designer. He will develop “Café au lait Base” in 2020. From January 2022, we started selling cafe au lait-based lampshades and flower-based products online. In addition to production and sales, he also develops materials at the request of companies.“I don’t want to waste the coffee scraps I throw away every day.”
Murakami is currently producing a material called “Café au lait Base.” The ingredients are coffee and milk, the same as the drink Café au lait. Coffee mainly uses the “residue” portion after brewing and discarded milk.
“I decided to make a Café au lait Base because I drank coffee every day. I started to think it was a waste to throw away the used coffee grounds every time. Other than the liquid portion, the rest will be discarded.”
When Murakami investigated how to reuse the slag that remains after every coffee brew, he found that it had deodorant and bactericidal properties. There were also works overseas that used coffee grounds.
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“Overseas, there are mugs and lighting that use coffee grounds. But if you look closely, most of them use synthetic resin. Using synthetic resin gives a plastic feel, which I don’t like very much. I wanted to make something more natural.
“I wanted a material with a soft atmosphere, goes well with coffee, and has no negative effect even when buried in the soil… and I discovered milk. Milk can be an adhesive. ”
Murakami does not use chemical knowledge to develop Café au lait Base, but creates the material depending on his personal senses, put through trial and error.
“Naturally derived materials are not as convenient materials as plastics, but I think we can create value by combining the concept of using waste and the current era and background. I would be happy if I could bring out a charm that is a bit different from material developed by scientists.”
Massive amounts of garbage created during COVID, and the guilt of indifference
When he graduated from Nagoya University of the Arts, Murakami started developing natural materials. As soon as he started wondering what kind of production he should enter, the spread of the COVID-19 began.
“I began spending more time at home during the pandemic. I was worried about the unpredictable situation, but at the same time, I began to look closely at the unseen parts of my life.
“I was surprised at the amount of garbage I put out. I felt guilty and regretted my indifference to my surroundings and what I consumed. ”
Observing what he ate and how he lived, Murakami took action.
“I wanted to change this negative lifestyle. The first thing I worked on was not generating plastic waste. While feeling the difficulty in the attempt, I realized that the world is made of plastic. On the other hand, natural materials have some inconveniences, but I was very comfortable using them.”
Eliminating plastic paved the way to connect with nature
Plastic use is increasing year by year in Japan and around the world. Most of them flow into the sea, and it is expected that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish. About 8 million tons of plastic waste flow into the sea every year. Although plastic breaks down into small pieces, it never completely disappears from nature.
“Nature circulates.”
Murakami has the greatest commitment to making materials with natural materials.
“Since I started working as a material designer, I have had more opportunities to come into contact with nature. Even food waste, which I used to think was dirty, decomposes and becomes nutrition. Isn’t that a natural cycle?
“Also, until now, I had the feeling that food was separated by plastic. However, if I avoided using plastic, I could come into contact with nature itself. I felt richer.”
Murakami created “banana leather” made from banana peel for his college graduation work. After graduating, he became a freelance designer and continued developing and creating his materials. From January, he also started selling products using Café au lait Base.
To grow the characteristics of the material and make it bloom
The material developed by Murakami is made through “upcycling.” Upcycling is a method to replace what was initially thrown away with something of higher value than the original product. This applies to cloth made from plastic bottles and bags made from banners and signboards.
Some people think that upcycling and recycling are the same, but that’s not the case. Recycling returns waste to the state of the previous resource and then remanufactures the product. On the other hand, in upcycling, we make products that utilize the materials and characteristics of what was discarded.
“When I create my work, I pay attention to the concept and appearance. I image the image and features that everyone originally has so that they can accept it.
“Café au lait is named so because it is made of coffee and milk. It’s interesting how the colors and textures differ depending on how you grind the coffee. We will superimpose the meaning and characteristics of the material to create a gradation.”
Murakami made chairs using receipts in the past. He upcycled receipts, which are often discarded, taking advantage of the features and textures that change color in response to the heat of thermal paper. The name of the chair is “re sheet.” It is a play on the words “receipts,” “sheets (matching paper),” and “sheets (stools).”
“There are many materials that I would like to challenge. We are developing various materials with the voice of companies and individuals.
“The materials and work making are the same as plants. I want to nurture the impression that the material has and make it bloom more. ”
[Reference] Ministry of the Environment “Plastic situation in Japan and overseas” (Japanese)
Contributor Profile: Hitomi Koga
IDEAS FOR GOOD freelance writer and a candy store manager. Her international experience has made her interested in environmental issues. She is practicing a life that puts as little burden on people and the environment as possible. Her areas of expertise include zero waste, animal welfare, traditional culture, and regional revitalization. She likes traveling, reading and high places.
