The following is a curated selection of visuals from my Master of Industrial Design thesis at Pratt Institute, Hemp Matter, 2022. Since then, versions of these materials have been used in a variety of personal and professional projects.
Hemp Matter sought to create symbiosis between industry and environment by exploring compostable materials made with algae biopolymers and hemp biomass. I was drawn to hemp and algae for their rehabilitative and regenerative properties. Algae, responsible for nearly half of the world’s oxygen production, complements hemp’s roots, which are known for their ability to remediate soil. My primary goal in developing these materials has been to foster a material economy that supports the sustainable cultivation of both plants.
My interest in biopolymers began in 2019 during my capstone year at NYU Gallatin. In 2020, I started combining algae biopolymers with industrial hemp, expanding this work at Pratt during my Industrial Design Master’s (MID). Through this project, I developed over 150 material iterations, experimenting with a range of algae biopolymers and hemp constitutions. Hemp Matter culminated in Repot, a biodegradable planting system.
