In the ever-expanding search for renewable materials that are kind to the environment and perform well to boot, there are occasionally a few surprises. This is one of them. Ronald Thompson, ex-hairstylist to the stars, made this ‘Stiletto Chair’ from a human hair-based composite that can be molded into almost any shape and mixed with almost any matrix.
From Trendhunter, via Ecolect:
His prototype was made from 4.5 pounds of discarded hair sweep up in barbershops and hairdressers of London. The 49 year old Thompson found his inspiration while on the set of a movie.
“As part of my course I was doing a work placement on the set of the Batman Begins movie and, as you do on placement, was sweeping the floors which reminded me of my hairdressing days,” he said. “I picked up a piece of fibreglass, which snapped when I stretched it. Then I did the same with a strand of hair, which didn’t. That sparked my thinking about how we could make use of all this spare hair to make a stronger fibreglass-type product that is environmentally friendly and sustainable.”
He hopes that his eco-friendly alternative to fibreglass will find a use in additional products, such as structural beams, shoes, clothing, mascara, and boat parts.
Human hair can be dyed to any color, is very strong and can be collected for free from salons and barber shops. It’s kind of gross to imagine sitting in a chair made from the hair of dozens or even hundreds of people, though.
Thompson’s prototype Stiletto Chair isn’t exactly the best example of how this material could be applied in an economically feasible way – it’s coated with bronze and costs $15,000. However, Thompson is looking into developing less expensive models.
Link [Trendhunter] via [Ecolect]
