Rug Made of Sea Algae Yarn
SEA ME is a rug made of sea algae yarn, knotted by hand in an old fishing net. Capturing the contrast between the polluting plastic waste issues and the beautiful things the sea has to offer.
Nienke Hoogvliet wanted to draw attention to this rather new material. A yarn made of sea algae could perhaps offer a solution for the sustainability issues in the textile industry. Sea algae grow much faster and need less nutrients then cotton for example. She would like to do more research to increase the usage of this material in the industry.
To capture the duality, she used a old fishing net as the base for the rug. The waste can be reused in this way and have an esthetically and practical use.
After Nienke’s project SEA ME – a handmade rug knotted with seaweed yarn into an old discarded fishing net- she continued her research on how seaweed can contribute to a more sustainable textile industry.
To show the potential of these materials, Nienke designed a chair and a table. The seating of the chair is made of seaweed yarn and dyed naturally with seaweed. This was woven by hand into a soft seating. The leftovers of this process are used to create a regular paint for the tabletop. The waste from was used to make the bio-plastic bowls. That’s how she wants to visualize how seaweed can be part of our homes in the future.
