Newtab-22 has used waste seashells salvaged from the seafood and aquaculture industries to develop a sustainable material that resembles concrete.
Named Sea Stone, the material is made by grinding down shells that are destined for landfill before combining them with natural, non-toxic binders. This grants the Sea Stone a terrazzo-like aesthetic.
According to Newtab-22, Sea Stone could become a sustainable alternative to concrete in the design of small-scale products, as the two materials share similar properties. This is because seashells are rich in calcium carbonate, otherwise known as limestone, which is used to make cement ? a key ingredient of concrete.
Sea Stone is a concrete-like material made by Newtab-22
Sea Stone evolved from Newtab-22's ambition to help alleviate the issue of waste in the seafood industry, which it claims results in seven million tonnes of seashells discarded every year. The majority of this waste ends up in landfills or is dumped on beaches. "Even though some of the seashells have been recycled and used as fertilisers, the majority of them are being thrown into landfills or by the seaside," explained Newtab-22.
It is made from waste shells from the seafood and aquaculture industries
"The discarded seashells, which are uncleaned or rotten, have not been cleared away at all and they have been piling up near the beach for a long time, thus causing odour pollution and polluting the surrounding land in the long run," the studio co...