Throughout out many years of tile addiction we’ve come across countless unique materials from biobricks, to sunflowers, to potatoes, to salt, but there are some materials that haven’t quite made it to the tile world yet that could definitely have some legs if they did.
1) Phee board
Currently used as an eco-friendly packaging and as a protective case for phones, PHEE-board utilises the sea grass Posidonia Oceanica as a customisable alternative to plastics and other man-made materials
2) Leaves
Replacing plastic to cast seating, Šimon Kern utilises leaves for an easily recyclable, eco friendly alternative. Seeing the rich colours and organic textures set firm inspires me to imagine tiles made the same.
3) Mushrooms
Plenty of acoustic panels have been made from the magical material that is mycelium, but I’d be fascinated to know if mushrooms could provide any unique characteristics to alter glazes or to create individual, hard wearing tiles.
4) Corn husks
Ever since covering Fernando Laposse‘s Totomoxtle I’ve been slightly obsessed with the idea of gorgeous heritage corn husks creating uniquely decorative tiles rich with character, texture, and history.
5) Ashes
When covering Studio Nienke Hoogvliet‘s Mourn last year, the potential of remains was opened up. With Mourn offering a conscious new way to honour loved ones, it made me consider other innovative ways to create permanent reminders and beautiful keepsakes from the ashes of those who have passed.
A new post by Hanna Simpson, Diary of a Tile Addict, October 2024.