Circular Skins: From Culinary Waste to Sculptural Light
Studio Kloak introduces a high-performance, biodegradable polymer derived from the world’s most ubiquitous food byproduct: onion skins. This work explores the material’s unique organic translucency through a series of light-focused prototypes, bridging the gap between culinary waste and sculptural form.
We believe innovation should be shared. Access our eight part digital masterclass below to learn the step by step process of domestic biomaterial production and join the movement toward a circular future.
Masterclass: The Onion Skin Biopolymer
Go behind the scenes of Studio Kloak’s latest material breakthrough. This eight part digital workshop covers the entire production cycle of our onion skin biopolymer. Access is free for guests at our Milan exhibition via on-site QR code. For all other supporters, a small fee helps us maintain our video production and fund the next phase of our regenerative design research.
Alongside the video series, you will receive comprehensive PDF resources including tool guides, material lists, the core recipe, and a certificate of completion.
Thank you!
Material Experiments
After hundreds of experiments, the new bio-material is designed using strong and moldable sheets, the material shown in the video is after casting a flat sheet. Using a rigorous drying process, custom biomaterial molds combine press-molding techniques inspired by paper pulp processes, drying methods adapted from ceramics, and 3D-printed structures designed in SolidWorks and informed by hand sketching. What began as a series of failures ultimately resulted in stronger, more resilient material systems.