crQlr Awards 2023 Special Award Winning Projects
The crQlr Awards 2023 spotlights projects and ideas that transcend the framework of conventional industrial structures and systems to create new relationships among stakeholders in order to realize a recycling-oriented society. The awards were presented to projects and ideas that implement “new relationship design,” which aims to realize a recycling society by building new relationships among stakeholders beyond the framework of conventional industrial structures and systems. In this exhibition, we will introduce some of the award-winning projects and entries.
Guilty Flavours
Eleonora Ortolani
Guilty Flavours is a radical proposal for how humans can harness our own bodies as machines to eliminate plastic forever – by eating it. New biochemical processes like digestion enzymes could allow humans to safely consume plastic. Starting with vanillin, the molecule of vanilla flavour, this research project explores how we can realistically harness this process to create fully edible molecules transformed by living organisms. The result is the Guilty Flavour ice cream – the first real sample of food ever made containing an ingredient transformed from plastic waste.
Sea vegetable Circulation
Sea vegetables llc.
Sea Vegetable researches seaweed, which has been decreasing due to coastal burning. They aim to bring renewed interest to seaweed through environmentally friendly land-based and sea-based cultivation methods while proposing new ways of eating seaweed. Although plants traditionally cultivated on land have been thoroughly studied, with many cultivation techniques and cooking methods well-established, the world of seaweed is still in its infancy. Sea Vegetable seeks to preserve the seaweed-eating culture passed down from our ancestors while simultaneously creating a new culture around how we eat seaweed. Through their business, they strive for a brighter future for both the sea and people.
森林循環‧林業創生,REWOOD
盛發生物科技有限公司｜REWOOD 木酢達人
SUNFAR Biotechnology Co., Ltd.｜REWOOD X DAWOKO
According to REWOOD’s research, the utilization of domestic timber in Taiwan is only 1%. Furthermore, their research found that every year, nearly 10 million tons of wood from pruning and typhoon winds is incinerated or otherwise processed inefficiently. To fix this, REWOOD connects various public and private institutions to reconsider how domestic wood can be leveraged based on the 7R zero-waste principle. Through this principle, REWOOD aims to establish a self-reliant and comprehensive forestry industry chain in Taiwan. Finally, REWOOD is taking an active role in passing down these technologies to the future generation.
TATAMI ReFAB PROJECT
by HONOKA
The TATAMI ReFAB PROJECT utilizes large-scale 3D printing technology to transform discarded tatami mats into new furniture by mixing them with biodegradable resin. Tatami, known for its natural fragrance and humidity control, has been an essential part of Japanese life for many years. However, its use has declined in modern residential environments. Discovering a large number of discarded tatami mats in front of a tatami shop led to research, revealing the lack of established methods for recycling tatami. To preserve tradition while reducing environmental impact, a new material was developed by combining discarded tatami with cellulose acetate, a biodegradable resin, enhancing its moldability and waterproof properties. This project aims to contribute to a sustainable society by creating furniture from this new material, promoting the charm of tatami (igusa) to future generations. By integrating traditional craftsmanship with modern technology, it ensures the transmission of artisans’ skills and knowledge while reducing environmental impact. The project has been recognized for its efforts to blend traditional culture with contemporary innovation, and it is also expected to contribute to the revitalization of local communities by appreciating and leveraging the cultural heritage rooted in the production regions.
Bio-invasive Textile Library
by Bio-invasive Lab Ltd/ Central Saint Martin-Ma Biodesign
The Bio-invasive Textile Library is a project that leverages invasive plants to benefit both ecological conservation and the fashion industry. By using invasive plants from London as raw materials for fibers and dyes, the project aims to prevent the loss of local biodiversity and avoid the unethical treatment of animals. It explores zero-waste dyeing techniques and production processes by reusing discarded textiles, offering various solutions to fashion brands through the concept of a “library.”
In a proof-of-concept experiment conducted in the N1C area of London, a distribution map of invasive plants was created and used to secure dyeing techniques with these plants. Ingredients extracted from clubmoss (Lycopodium clavatum) were used as a substitute for chemical mordants, achieving a range of colors. Ramie and nettle fibers were adopted as textile materials, and innovative machinery such as implanting (integrating fibers into fabrics) and flocking (transforming fibers into felt-like textures) was utilized. By combining these machine technologies with knitting and spinning techniques, the project successfully merges and expresses various textile forms.
Project “TSUMUGI”
by General Incorporated Association Upcycle
The recycling rate for paper packaging from households is only 3%, with much being incinerated, and many thinned trees left unutilized due to high transportation costs. Trees thinned for purposes such as landslide prevention and biodiversity conservation are also not being effectively used. Project “TSUMUGI” was launched to address these issues by reimagining traditional Japanese paper yarn with modern technology, aiming to repurpose used paper and unused thinned wood.
This project utilizes used paper packaging as raw material, processing thinned wood into fibers and then converting them into paper yarn. Paper yarn is lightweight, strong, and can be used for various high-value products, making it a sustainable technology of note. By upcycling previously unused resources into paper yarn with Japanese technology, new methods of use and value are created, envisioning a future where these resources seamlessly integrate into our lives.
Anam PALF®
by Ananas Anam
Ananas Anam is an innovative material manufacturer that produces fibers and textiles from pineapple leaf fibers. Founder Dr. Carmen Hijosa, motivated by her experiences in the Philippine leather industry, decided to create a sustainable, plant-based alternative. She invented a new textile, Piñatex®, using pineapple leaf fibers. This material is developed using technology that repurposes agricultural waste and a traceable supply chain, providing an alternative to cotton, linen, and polyester.
Anam PALF® is processed using a unique method that does not involve bleaching, pulping, or dyeing. Enzyme treatment is used to remove impurities without harmful chemicals, and the fibers are entirely mechanically processed. This strong and durable fiber, primarily composed of cellulose, is easy to dye with natural or conventional dyes, and it helps reduce microfiber pollution. As a sustainable textile, Anam PALF® is expected to be used across various industries, offering high-quality products while minimizing environmental impact.
moss ARIMATSU
by Arimatsu Yamori, LCC
moss ARIMATSU is a rental kitchen and space designed to fulfill our “wants.” It is renovated from an old house built in the Meiji era and now serves as a new interaction hub in Arimatsu, Midori Ward, Nagoya City. Arimatsu is known for the traditional craft of Arimatsu-Narumi shibori, where “knotting threads” used in producing shibori yukata are often discarded. Under the interior design supervision of Matomato Inc., custom plaster materials using denim scraps and these knotting threads were created. The lengths and blend ratios of the fibers were adjusted to produce two types of plaster with different colors and textures, which were DIY applied to the accent wall.
This project re-evaluates the value of traditional Japanese architecture that contributes to a sustainable society through “maintenance,” making local resources visible and shared within the community. The facility and its walls, which tell the story of the region’s history, will continue to weave new history alongside community activities.
Hunting Start Dash Course
by Inoshika Bureau Tours
The “Hunting Start Dash Course” is a beginner-friendly workshop held at a campsite in Gujo City, Gifu Prefecture. Participants can learn a range of basic hunting skills from active hunters, including trapping, rifle hunting, game processing, and preparing wild game cuisine. The course highlights the importance of managing wildlife populations to protect crops and human settlements while maintaining ecological balance.
This course is ideal for beginners and newly licensed hunters, offering comprehensive training from basics to practice. Direct instruction from experienced hunters ensures participants acquire practical skills and knowledge, improving their chances of successful hunting. Additionally, sourcing food directly from nature enhances the connection to the environment, promotes local culinary traditions, and raises awareness of environmental conservation. The program attracts participants from across Japan and is a popular initiative.
Kanntsuchi Blocks
by Asanuma Corporation Technology Research Institute
“Kanntsuchi Blocks,” made solely from soil and water without using artificial materials like cement, have low environmental impact and create a comfortable space with the warmth of the earth. Known as “breathing walls,” these soil walls have high moisture absorption and desorption capabilities, improving air quality and providing deodorizing effects. Utilizing traditional Japanese soil walls as partition walls can create a comfortable living environment.
Kanntsuchi Blocks are created using a traditional method called rammed earth construction, where soil is compacted. By sourcing and reusing soil from construction sites locally, these blocks can be upcycled into building materials. After use, they can be crushed back into soil, offering high resource recyclability and low environmental impact. Traditional building materials consume significant energy during production and disposal, resulting in high environmental impact. Consequently, the demand for building materials derived from natural resources is expected to increase.
Tejiendo la calle
By Tejiendo la calle
Tejiendo La Calle is a project in which inhabitant of Valverde de La Vera, mostly elderly women, cooperate to improve the public space we share.We hand-weave large light structures that are installed in the streets of the municipality as parasols that provide shade during the hottest months.We started the initiative in 2013 and continue weaving today. In 2022 we celebrate our tenth anniversary.To make the pieces we reuse plastics, trying to extend the useful life cycle of this polluting material, transforming waste into beautiful and functional elements.The spatial installation supports the personal expression of the participants in the project and helps to make visible the identity of our rural community. It welcomes visitors who come to the town and collaborates in creating an atmosphere with a celebratory spirit. The pieces function as sunscreens during the day and have built-in light at night, accompanying the path to the main square.
Co-producing value-added, biodegradable plastics and additives from agricultural byproducts
by Ourobio
Ourobio is a startup leveraging synthetic biology and biomaterials to develop sustainable products. The company has developed engineered microorganisms that convert low-value agricultural byproducts into biodegradable plastic resins and additives in a single fermentation process. In proof-of-concept trials using dairy processing byproducts, Ourobio has produced biodegradable plastic resins and colorants, reducing both environmental impact and production costs compared to petroleum-based products.
Inspired by a 2019 University of Virginia iGEM research project, Ourobio officially launched in March 2020. The founders, with expertise in sustainability, entrepreneurship, synthetic biology, and biochemistry, have worked together for five years. They have improved the durability and efficiency of their process and products, and moving forward, Ourobio plans to expand its portfolio of biomaterials and the variety of waste streams from which they’re derived, aiming to replace petroleum products as quickly as possible.