Back when Vlasta Kubušová was completing her Master of Design in Berlin, she found that many of her courses were dedicated to working with plastic. She understood why: “It’s the most widespread material, and it’s cheap,” she says. But at the same time, it wasn’t something that she was particularly eager to use. Instead, she started exploring eco-friendly alternatives. In 2016, together with her partner, Miroslav Král (who comes from a stage design background), she founded Crafting Plastics, a studio devoted to developing biomaterials from sugars, starches, algae and cellulose.
Since then, the duo has specialized in translating cutting-edge research into compelling bio-spectacles. Its latest proof of concept was Liminal Cycles, shown above at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, in collaboration with Lexus this past December. At the heart of the installation, a silhouette of the Lexus LF-ZC concept car imagined a future where automobile finishes are manufactured with bioplastics. To highlight the natural properties of its Nuatan bioplastic, Crafting Plastics set up the car to “breathe” (moving inward and outward) in response to human motion, and to change colour based on the level of ultraviolet radiation. “I think that’s what I consider a strong piece: if it sparks curiosity, shows possibilities and makes people more conscious,” Kubušová says.
Four additional components — a series of stools, a rotating lattice-like tower, a glowing sculpture that looked like a cross between a steering wheel and an exotic flower, and a limited-edition vase available for purchase, all made from biomaterials — rounded out the Crafting Plastics and Lexus collaboration. Here, Kubušová elaborates on the exciting possibilities of biopolymers.
1
Play Up Value
- Vlasta Kubušová:
Biopolymers can’t compete with single-use plastics on price. If we want to start implementing them, we need to begin with products where cost isn’t the main driver. That way, we also change the perception of how we see plastic in general: Rather than just being something cheap, it becomes something valuable, even though it’s compostable. Crafting Plastics started off by designing eyewear frames. They’re more personal than a plastic bottle because they add to your identity. The vase that we designed for the Lexus capsule collection is another example. When people see a brand like that interested in this application, they also get inspired.
2
Foster Deeper Connection
- VK:
I can tell you that something is a bioplastic, but what does that really mean? We realized that the material lacked identity. Since smell is mostly associated with natural materials, we wanted to figure out if by adding smell to bioplastics through synthetic biology, people would start to perceive them differently. That was the idea behind our scented BreaZea room divider, which we first showed at Salone del Mobile in 2021. And it worked — it triggered a lot of emotion. Then, in our installation for Lexus, we developed stools, modelled on the backrest of a driver’s seat, that also released a subtle scent.
3
Build in Environmental Commentary
- VK:
We have been researching if the molecules in our materials can react to certain things that we might not see to signal threats and help us adapt. They become like a diagnostic tool that’s happening without any software — or an indicator species, like frogs. The car sculpture that we designed for Liminal Cycles changes colour as the day progresses. As UV levels rise, the material turns a more intense purple. It’s an example of how to communicate an issue — in this case, UV intensity, which is becoming much worse because of climate change.
4
Evolve and Adapt
- VK:
The 3D-printed lattice structure in our Miami installation featured a delicate version of our Nuatan material, whereas the skin that we used for the car sculpture is much more durable. We are working to design different formulations for different types of products based on whether something needs to be here for two years or 50 years. I don’t think we really need any bioplastics that will be here for 1,000 years.
5
Avoid the Apocalypse
- VK:
Our material, Nuatan, is named after an island in the Solomon Islands that dis-appeared because of the sea level rise. It’s symbolic, because Crafting Plastic and our work with biomaterials is driven by the problems that can happen to all of us if we don’t do anything.
5 Things We Learned About Biomaterials from Crafting Plastics
During Design Miami 2024, the Slovakian research and design studio partnered with Lexus to drive broader adoption of biomaterials.