Masterclass on Alternative Materials

Bio-based and biodegradable plastics: Status quo, opportunities, and challenges

The look, feel, and materiality of our everyday consumer products is shaped to a large extent by culture, technology, production processes, and economic goals. With such a complex network of stakeholders involved, to the individual designer, creator or entrepreneur it can feel like an impossible task to dream up and develop truly sustainable products. It’s a long path towards 100% plastic free and circular products, and currently many design and material compromises have to be made. This masterclass will address some of these challenges, but also workshop innovative opportunities that equip designers with the tools to shape the consumer culture we live in.

This masterclass ends with the talk Rethinking the Status Quo: A World Without Plastic (18.00–19.30) with Anniina Koivu (curator of the exhibition Plastic: Remaking Our World and sustainable design expert), Constança Entrudo (fashion designer known for creating sustainable fabrics) and Luisa Kahlfeldt (industrial designer and founder of Sumo Baby).

Luisa Kahlfeldt is an award-winning industrial designer and creative consultant based in Berlin, Germany. She is the founder of Sumo Baby, a creative start up that specializes in future-proof baby care products that elevate daily rituals and are kind to the environment. Prior to launching Sumo Baby, Luisa worked as an industrial designer and product developer for Barber Osgerby in London and Konstantin Grcic Design in Berlin. She graduated with an BA (Hons) from Central Staint Martins and completed her Master’s degree at ECAL in Lausanne, Switzerland. Her work has been awarded with a Red Dot Design Award, the Swiss James Dyson Award, and the German Sustainability Award.