Product Design | Studio Machii

Product
Design.

In 2020, Marit graduated as an industrial product designer at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences.

Nature, and its preservation, is a great source of inspiration for her designs, this can be seen in the natural materials, the circular life cycle of the products, and the organic elegance in the design.

Why Knot.

Marit is co-founder of Why Knot design, a sustainable design studio that researches the Japanese knotweed. This invasive plant is a major problem in the Netherlands, it destroys biodiversity as well as streets and railways. That is why the plant must be burned immediately after removal, which creates a large residual flow. Why knot has designed a solution for this; a sustainable sheet material that is made of 100% Japanese knotweed without harmful additives. This material has a circular life cycle while using invasive species.

Why Knot won the Blue City's Circular Challenge in 2022 and will be further developed in our start-up: Why Knot!

More info: www.whyknot.nl

Material Library.

Japanese knotweed is a problem for many people, and especially for water authorities. To show how this hated plant can be used in a positive way, a materials library of Japanese knotweed was developed on behalf of Hoogheemraadschap Hollandse Delta.

The library is intended for samples of new sustainable/circular materials. In this way, interested parties can see what is currently happening in the world of sustainable materials and share their enthusiasm by sharing their finds with others.

The materials library is part of the Living Tree that can be seen in Hoogheemraadschap Hollandse Delta.

Origami Lamp.

This lamp is made from one flat sheet of bioplastic and is brought to life using folding techniques . The complete product exists of just three shapes which can be folded together without any connecting materials like glue. The shape is inspired by origami and the elegance seen in nature.

Bacterial cellulose.

Research into using Bacterial cellulose as a temporary material. Here you can see a prototype of how a tent breaks itself down in one week without leaving any residue.

Photo: Florien Nijntjes

Living Materials - Kombutex.

As a designer and researcher at Studio Samira Boon, I have done research in collaboration with the VU and WAAG futurelab into the use of SCOBY (kombucha residue) and how it can be used in indoor environments to purify air. This resulted in kombutex that plants can grow on, it can break itself down naturally by enzymes and is flexible in use.

Thesis project (Industrial Design Engineering) at:

Studio Samira Boon - LABS (Living Aero Bacterial Systems): Future Interiors.

2020

Zines.

Studio Machii started in 2020 as a zine shop. Zines are self-made and self-published experimental art magazines. The zines experimented with different illustration styles and ways of storytelling. This resulted in short comics, visual poetry and pocket galleries.

Studio Machii's zines were sold internationally, at local art fairs to stores in Australia and the USA.

Some zines are still available in the shop.

Modulair Drink Crate.

In collaboration with EORI the Japanese knotweed soft drink, a modular crate has been developed to transport the bottles. This crate consists of 6 flat parts that can be slid together to create the crate. This ensures that when the crate is not in use it takes up little storage space. When all the drink is finished and the crate is no longer needed, you can bury it in the ground so that the enzymes in the soil break it down further. This leaves no harmful substances behind as the crate is made of 100% biobased materials (mostly knotweed), and no new knotweed can grow from it.

Wooden Notebooks.

When I saw how much leftover material the local woodworking shop had, I was inspired to use this leftover material in sustainable notebooks. The strong wooden covers immediately provide a good surface to write on and the paper is 100% recycled and ethically produced. The binding method is inspired by the Japanese technique, in which patterns are simultaneously formed with the threads.

The notebooks were sold in Uncoverlab Amsterdam in 2019 - 2020.