Tóth Ádám, Zala Zsófia
Harm less – Objects from pine needles and coffee grounds
Through their work Zsófia Zala and Ádám Tóth not only show the beauty hidden in waste, but also sneak the cycle of nature back into the objects. All the pieces of the collection were made using plant waste abundantly available to the designers in their immediate vicinity, as well as other 100% bio-degradable materials. After a lengthy search they opted for pine needles, available at the Budapest Forestry Company, and coffee grounds, sourced from local companies.
The coffee table top was pressed from a mixture of chopped pine needles, sawdust and a milk-based adhesive called casein glue. It was then treated with vegetable oil to give it better protection against potential spillages. The base of the vase is made from coffee grounds, the top used to be a wine bottle. Again, the final form was achieved by pressing, the special texture was created by polishing.
Closely linked to the objects is an installation which comprises samples of the household and industrial plant waste (e.g. orange peels, tea leaves or carrot peels) used for the tests.
