Medulla

WHAT An exploration into the soft rush plant for use in a wide range of materials, from paper to textiles, foam, cardboard, rope and even furniture. WHY The soft rush is primarily known from the woven Japanese tatami mats, wherein the whole plant is processed. But separating the inner core, or pith, from the outer stalk creates a wealth of possible new applications. HOW The pith is a natural foam. With its lightweight, shock-resistant and insulating properties it is suitable as ecological packaging material. It can also be compressed into a foam block without the need for extra bonding additives. Compressing it further creates a lightweight sheet material strong enough to make into furniture. There are countless possibilities for further development.