Areca Eyewear by Akanksha Joharapurkar

NATURAL FIBERS AKANKSHA JOHARAPURKAR

Prethesis project Bachelor of Design Industrial Arts and Design Practices 2016

Digital publication of a student document. For private circulation only.

Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology 2

NATURAL FIBERS

AKANKSHA JOHARAPURKAR Bachelor of Design Industrial Arts and Design Practices Odd Semester : Semester 7 2016-17

Project Guide Janak Mistry

Acknowledgements

A very special thanks to Janak Mistry for guiding me throughout the course of the project. Also I would like to thank Geetha Narayan, Director of Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology for giving me the opportunity to work on this project. I would like to thank our client, Tjeerd Veenhoven, who has been wonderful and has motivated us from the beginning of the project. My thanks to Vijaykumar, Manoj, Ravi Mani, Sanchita, Surabhi for their feedback and guidance. Lastly I would like to thank my family and friends who have been encouraging me and sharing their thoughts on my work.

Contents 1. Project Abstract

2. Understanding the Context

3. Research

4. Exploration & Experimentation

5. Ideation

6. Proposal

7. Study of Glasses

8. Iterations | Mock-ups | Prototyping

9. Final Prototypes

10. Profiles

11. Reflective Statement

12. References

85 7

Timeline Phase 1 : Immersion and Understanding

August

Understanding the Context Market Research Material research Field visits Work done by other designers Experimentation Defining opportunity spaces

Seminar 1

September

Phase 2 : Ideation, Prototyping In-depth research of opportunity space Iterating Sketches, Mock-ups, Protoypes Proposal

Seminar 2

October

Phase 3 : Prototyping and User Testing Iterating Prototyping Final Product User Testing

Seminar 3

November

Project Abstract Natural fiber based raw material can provide an exciting alternative for the vibrant crafts as well as mainstream industry in looking for alternative solutions for packaging and other consumer applications.

The Mission: Sustainable Product/ System/Service, Sustainable Future: Sustainable Design complies with social, economic and ecological viability while designing products, built environment, systems and services. The intent is to â&#x20AC;&#x153;minimize or completely eliminate negative environmental impact through skillful and sensitive designâ&#x20AC;?. In order to demonstrate this mission the Areca Sheath, one of the many natural resources will be explored throughout this project.

Your designs may partly be based on using and promoting traditional local craft techniques as well as existing modern industrial processes. You may come up with your own upgrades and improvements in both product and manufacturing process techniques. You can also work with the Palmleather technique, a material upgrade of the Areca sheath that has proven successful, developed by studio Tjeerd Veenhoven. The outcome of this project will be a functional product using areca sheath possibly in combination with other materials in the above mentioned categories. The products will need to be designed with a core understanding of aesthetics, detailing sustainability and socially responsible production for current and upcoming trends.

Based on this abundant raw material you are challenged to create new products with areca sheath possibly in combination with other materials as well in the following product categories: - Toys, Stationary and storage, Fashion accessories, disposables, Home and kitchen products and accessories as well as packaging.

Understanding the Context

Sustainability is a broad term and there are multiple definitions to it. It depends on the scenario of a particular region. If I were to define sustainability in the context of this project, it would be adding value to the material by creating products which raise the standard of the material. This project invoves understanding a material, in this case areca sheath, to the core and using its properties to create products. Every material has a history, so does areca sheath. Areca sheath which is a by-product of the areca nut tree, is a material with certain good qualities. Areca is being used on a large scale to produce disposable plates. These plates are thown away in one use. But areca sheath with its properties, is capable of other products which can be used multiple times. So through this project, the main aim is to develop functional products that give value to the waste material.

RESEARCH

Primary Research

Products made from Pineapple waste

Wood waste and bio-resin chair

Pots made from banana fiber Tiles made from wood wool

RESEARCH

Areca Catechu Areca catechu is grown for its nut, commonly known as supari. It is a long tree with thin bark. It grows in tropical Pacific, South-East Asia and East Africa. The tree consists of four parts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; bark, betel nut, leaf and leaf sheath. It is about 30 meters tall with the leaves being around 2 meters long. The areca nut also known as betel nut is the main outcome of the tree. It has got several medical uses. The betel nut is consumed along with paan.

RESEARCH

Climate

Good rainfall is essential for its growth. It grows well in areas with the temperature range of 14â&#x20AC;&#x201C;36 Â°C.

Soil

Well drained, deep clay loamy soil. Red loam and alluvial soils are considered most suitable.

Maintenance

Needs large application of organic manures and chemical fertilizers. If the rainfall is less, irrigation facilities are mandatory with soil drainage.

Yield

Varies from four to eight years.

RESEARCH

Growth Areas

Areca nut palm is native to Philippines. The palm trees are spread across South-East Asia. India is the largest consumer and producer of betel nut. Areca nut trees are found in India in the southern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and in the eastern states of West Bengal, Assam and Meghalya. In Karnataka Areca nut plantations are found in Chikmagalur, Shimoga, Tumkur, Uttara Kannada and Dakshina Kannada. Of the total areca nut plantations in the world, around 50% are in India. Karnataka alone accounts for about 60% of the areca nut production in India.

RESEARCH

Areca nut tree plantations

RESEARCH

Areca sheaths

Dry leaf fallen on the ground 18

RESEARCH

Areca Leaf Sheath The Areca leaf sheath is a by-product of the areca nut tree. The tree sheds 5-6 leaves annually. The sheaths are available in India in large quantities. The sheath is attached to the bark, holding the leaf and the bark together. It surrounds the bark and falls when it dries.

Dimensions

The leaf sheath is around 30 inches in length and 11 inches broad. Average weight of the leaf is 250 g. The leaf is thick and wide in the center and thinner at the ends. The fibers of the leaf are not straight. They converge and diverge making it wobbly.

Qualities

The palm leaf has got bio-degradable properties. It is heat and water resistant. The leaf composts naturally with 20 to 40 days. The leaf contains a high carbonnitrogen ratio because of which it takes longer to decompose. The sheath is thick and is made up of multiple layers.

Drawing showing areca sheath in green 19

RESEARCH

Current Uses The areca sheath is largely used in making disposble plates. The plates are also exported overseas. Palm leaf plates are hard, water and heat resistant, biodegradable and hence prove to be a better alternative to plastic and paper plates. Palm plates are also safe to be used in the oven, fridge or microwave. They keep the food fresh longer. It is a readily available raw material. Areca sheath can be used to make compost if the C-N ratio is reduced. It is highly advantageous to soil with low fertility.

Soap packaging

Disposable plates 20

RESEARCH

Cones and Plates

Bowls

Fodder for cows

Padayani Kolam making 21

RESEARCH

Palm Leather

Palm leather is a fabric invented by Dutch designer Tjeerd Veenhoven from areca sheath. Tjeerd saw tremendous potential in what was considered as waste, and went ahead to develop products with it. He developed a bio-chemical solution which turns areca sheath into a flexible and soft material permanently. The solution keeps the fabric from dehydrating keeping it soft. This new fabric can be used to replace animal-based items. Tjeerd developed bags, book covers, flip flops and many such products using palm leather. Work done by Tjeerd with areca sheath is a great intervention in the use of natural fibers. Bags and Book covers

RESEARCH

Palm Leather Products

Sling Bag

Book Cover

Footwear

Sling Bag

RESEARCH

Field Visit : Shivakote, Karnataka A part of the project involved interaction with the producers of areca plates. We took a visit to a small areca plate making unit situated in Shivakote, a small town on the outskirts of Bangalore. The unit belonged to Fayaz, a local to the village. Fayaz shared his knowledge about plate making and how the whole cycle works from collecting the raw material to sending out the plates into the market.

Stacked sheaths in stock 24

RESEARCH

Several dyes as per requirements

Stacked plates

Waste-cut parts used to make powder 25

RESEARCH

Plate Making Process

Collection

Stacking

Transport

Heat Compressing under 150 kg

Washing

Drying

RESEARCH

Areca nut trees

Farm Visit The village also holds small areca catechu farms. We visited a farm which had areca nut and coconut trees next to each other. So areca nut plantations donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need a separate patch of land. The farmer collects the areca sheaths and sends them to a areca plate making unit.

Areca nut 27

RESEARCH

Baskets made from grass

Planters made from terracota

Pottery from black stone

RESEARCH

Field Visit : Dastkar Dastkar offered crafts from different regions of India. The product showed that the craftsmen are trying to fit into the needs of the modern day market. There were products made from a range of materials, natural and man-made and were used in a combination. It offered a range of domestic products and a variety of fabrics.

Bag from cloth and leather

Footwear from leather 29

EXPLORATION & EXPERIMENTATION

Areca becomes flexible when soaked in water for 2-3 hours. When soaked in a solution of water and glycerin, areca absorbs the glycerin and softens permanently. The sheath is made up of several layers. The top-most layer, the skin, comes out easily if the sheath is wet. It is like a protective layer which keeps liquids from entering the material quickly. I tried to use some properties of areca while exploring. I used strips of the skin to create a layer of paper. I tried to test its heat-resistant properties by making a cup cover from the material.

Soaking in water

Pasting areca skin on newspaper with bananna starch Making banana starch 31

EXPLORATION & EXPERIMENTATION

Areca skin pasted on newspaper

Dyed areca skin 32

Twisted areca strips

EXPLORATION & EXPERIMENTATION

Areca as insulation for cup

Twisted rope from areca fibers

Areca as insulation for cup

EXPLORATION & EXPERIMENTATION

Inferences

Areca sheath as a material has a lot more potential than just being disposable. The properties of areca sheath are good enough to make valuable products. It has got both hard and soft qualities. Areca has got composting properties but it has to be treated for compost. Areca sheath does not decompose easily. It takes about 40-60 days to completely decompose. So why are disposable plates made from areca if it does not decompose easily? Areca has got drawbacks like growth of moss, but it can be treated and the material can be used for a lasting product. The sheath has got different thicknesses. The layers can also be used for different

purposes. The top-most layer is like paper and can be used in paper packaging. Dyeing is one of the most common methods of coloring fabric. The sheath can be dyed which can make it an attractive packaging material. Other than that, areca sheath pieces when put together have the ability to hold weight. The strength is more in the direction of grains. But the combination of two, makes the material stronger. Long thin fibers are obtained along the grain of the sheath. These fibers are stong and can be woven into ropes.

EXPLORATION & EXPERIMENTATION

SWOT Analysis Strengths

Weaknesses

Mouldable Readily available raw material Heat and water resistant

Wobbly material Catches moss quickly Fragile when bent against the grains Available only six months

Opportunities

Threats

Flexible when wet Eco-friendly, Organic Resistant to water Multiple layered

Expands in water Growth of moss Uneven fibers

IDEATION

Cut-out of eyeglass frame

IDEATION

Light fixture using waste areca bowl

IDEATION

Moodboard

IDEATION

PROPOSAL

PROPOSAL Introduction Business and industry is the way of life today. In todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world it seems to be a necessity to have a large scale business. But do we realize that in the end these large scale industries are the ones causing decline in the quality of life. Use of natural resources on a large scale has led to its depletion. There is a paradigm shift from environmental protection to sustainability. Use of products made from materials like plastic has further increased the concern about the environment. All of these actions have led to a considerable increase in the carbon footprint. Now industries have started looking for alternative sustainable materials to make products. Natural fibers are being used today in different areas of the industry and are continually being promoted.

The plates are bio-degradable and resistant to water and heat making them a good alternative for thermocol and plastic plates. The sheath is also used to make caps and kolam, the latter is a form of deities in Kerala.

Areca sheath is one such natural fiber found in abundance in Southern India. The areca sheath is a part of the areca nut tee, which holds the leaf to the bark. The tree sheds around five to six leaves every year. These leaves have been used as firewood, but since recently they are also being used to make plates.

PROPOSAL My position

Tjeerd Veenhoven, a product designer from Holland, found an opportunity in areca sheath and started exploring with it. He developed Palm leather from areca. He has done a lot of work in this material which can prove useful for a reference in this project. He has founded O’Neill, a footwear industry which uses areca sheath as the raw material. Some Srishti students have also explored with areca coming up with products in accessories, packaging, and gardening. Design Brief The project “Natural Fibers” is an exploration with areca leaf sheath as a raw material that offers opportunities to bring a change in the existing product development. Exploration can lead to techniques that can be used and integrated into the craft practices thus creating a new market. I also look at areca sheath as one of the alternative to the materials that are being used today and are harmful to the environment. We also have to look at the larger area of sustainability and use of natural materials while exploring with areca. Areca is a medium to building insights about the concept of sustainability and understanding the need for change in product development. We can work with a combination of materials. But the aim would be to make the product as a whole, sustainable. 44

As an industrial designer, it is my role to place my work in the larger area of sustainability. This concept connects to my practice, because as a designer I can bring a change in the way products are made today. This project is one such opportunity for me to locate my ideas in the concept of sustainability. It gives me an opportunity to work with a raw material that can be used as a sustainable material in the future. The materials largely influence the practice of a designer. Properties change from material to material, so each material has got something different to offer. In turn it differs what we make out of the material. I have worked with other natural materials like bamboo. I have explored the properties and the functions of bamboo. But the properties of areca palm and what it can yield are completely different. Areca has the scope of working with handy objects. It offers flexibility with variable thicknesses. Along with areca sheath, I’m also looking at work done in other materials like water hyacinth, banana fiber and stone. The work done with these materials gives me exposure to a lot of other possibilities in developing products.

PROPOSAL Research questions - How can I use Areca as a material that influences the whole lifecycle of a product? - How can industrial design play a role in influencing the behavior of people towards their products? - Why is areca used as a short-lived material even when it is not as quickly decomposed? - What material properties of areca can influence the way we manufacture products? - How will my design intervention change the way areca is looked at as a material?

For this purpose, I chose to work with a product that we use in daily routine which is supposed to be rough and tough, and lasting. One of the simple products that also offer lots of possibilities to work with is glasses. I’m looking at the material from a very different perspective. I would agree that a material has certain properties and we should develop products acknowledging those properties. But it’s not always about what can be made from what. It’s also about challenging that preconception and going ahead to really test the properties of the material. Each material has its own uniqueness. Areca might not be the best material for glasses, but it is also interesting to see how a material like areca can change the product as a whole.

Approach/process While looking around and exploring the market, I found that most of the durable products are made from either metal or plastic. Natural materials are not trusted with long lasting products. Natural fibers are used more in the industry of accessories and home and living. Natural fibers have been looked at more as short lived materials. They are largely used in textiles, bags and lamps. Areca has properties that can be used to make lasting products. Even then it is used to make disposable plates which are thrown away in less than an hour. The whole lifecycle of a product is affected by changing its raw material. I’m looking at increasing the life of areca at the same time influencing the lifecycle of another product. Areca is creating a market of disposable plates. Through this project I’m trying to introduce areca as one of the durable and long lasting materials. 45

PROPOSAL It is an advantage to use areca plates, as they are already flattened and have an even thickness. Areca can be used as it is needed, flexible or hard. Putting areca together with different direction of grains will protect it from tearing or breaking. I’m using the material in its original form instead of breaking it down. Materials and resources

Sunglasses are a rage in the fashion industry. Fashion influences people for the continuous search for a new look. Sunglasses are one of the glamorous accessories. Also people have the habit of changing sunglasses more frequently than normal prescription glasses. I’m using industrial techniques like laser cutting for the cut out of the frames. Subsequently, the way glasses are fit into the frame using a grove is not possible with areca. So I’m experimenting with different ways of doing it with areca. For the temples(stem), I’m looking at the combination of areca with other materials. My designs for the frames are inspired from masks and sunglasses. I’m exploring with a combination of the two leading to comparatively larger frames.

Areca sheath is mostly used to make plates. Shivakote, a village about 10 km from Yelahanka, holds some arecanut farms and has a plate manufacturing unit. A field visit to the place gave us an idea of how much really goes into the making of a single areca plate or bowl. Areca plates are available in local markets as disposable plates. Books References Cradle to Cradle : by William McDonough The Shape of Green : by Lance Hosey Biodesign : Nature, Science, Creativity : by William Myers Websites http://www.tssindia.in/about-areca/uses-of-areca. html http://dasd.gov.in/index.php/arecanut.html http://www.lenskart.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVI0oA7Pdws Videos Light Buld Conspiracy The Third Curve by Mansoor Khan Field Visits Craft : Dastkar Shivakote, Areca plate making unit Market research : Local Market

PROPOSAL Learning outcome One of the basic learning outcomes from the Natural Fibers Project is exploring with material, in this case Areca palm. I intend to understand the material properties and use it as an alternative material in product development. Along with exploring the material, the project also looks at a larger under-standing of sustainability and use of natural fibers. The end outcome will be a tangible one, with areca sheath as the basic material, with or without a combination with other materials. The process that we follow through the project will lead to larger insights and help me recognize the gaps. One of things that is very particular is that, everyone has got a very different perspective on the same material. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m learning to see, understand and acknowledge all those perspectives while trying to make my own stand distinctly for myself.

STUDY OF GLASSES

The look of spectacles has changed over the years but the basic design has remained the same. The materials used earlier have changed and still new materials are being introduced. Earlier heavy metal frames with intricate work were in fashion. After the invention of plastic, a combination of metal and plastic frames was made available. Later on, as people started looking for comfort, frames completely molded in plastic were introduced. The plastic frames are much lighter as compared to the metal ones. The concept of sustainability asked for the use of eco-friendly materials. So now-a-days natural materials like hemp, wood and bamboo are also being used to manufacture sunglasses. The design of the frame has changed overtime with the material. Metal frames were thin whereas plastic frames are thick. The frames made from wood and bamboo are even more thicker. Glasses are designed for a range of purposes. Ten different varieties of goggles are available each serving a differnt purpose. Prescription and nonprescription glasses are the most commonly used. The market has grown and sunglasses are one of the most glamorous accessories. Consumers are on the lookout for trending designs.

STUDY OF GLASSES

For designing frames with areca, it was necessary to study how frames are originally made. Glasses is an engineered product. Plastic frames are made using industrial processes like injection molding. A pair of spectacles consists of the frame, lenses, temples and nose-pads. The frame is the main component of spectacles which holds all the parts together. Temple sits perfectly on the ear and nosepads provide support to the frame. Hinges are used to attach temples to the frame. The frames are made with a groove, so that lenses can fit into it. Frames have a fixed range for dimensions. Any pair of spectacles made fits into that range depending on the need of the consumer.

Round frame

I did a study of the different shapes, dimensions and range, frames are available in.

Waste frames 51

STUDY OF GLASSES

Dimensions of Glasses

Lense fixture

Dimensions of Sunglasses

STUDY OF GLASSES

Wooden frame

Wooden frame fixture

Combination of materials

Covered single glass frame

ITERATIONS MOCK-UPS PROTOTYPING