Chloe Mountain

Beetware is a versatile and biodegradable material comprised of British ceramic and sugar production waste which represents the fundamental and exploratory solution to the coinciding environmental and economic issues both industries face.

Appreciating the unvalued, the material utilises landfill destined ceramics and waste sugar beet pulp from sugar production, waste connected through the maker: a ceramicist and granddaughter of a sugar beet machinery pioneer.

With a similar consistency to raw grogged clay, Beetware can consist of varying sized ceramic sherds within the material, all of which are malleable and sculptural transformative. Prematurely flexible, it can be moulded and pressure cast with smaller sherds accurately defining details. Once cured, Beetware is hardwearing and durable.

With the fallout of Brexit putting the British sugar industry in economic jeopardy, this project* creates an additional demand for the abundant pulp whilst simultaneously expanding the lifespan of ceramics to the environments benefit.

*A final thesis project by Chloe Mountain at Central Saint Martins, Ma Industrial Design 2023.