Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences

FINALIST project

Rawan Al Kafri, Tess O’Hara, Joanna Lippert, Thamisha Roosberg

This project addresses textile waste at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute by empowering students to lead sustainable solutions that benefit teachers and the institution. Leveraging the biomaterials lab, it critically assesses waste produced in the curriculum and explores feasible recycling methods. The outcome is a scalable, accessible design that transforms textile waste into a sustainable resource, promoting environmental responsibility within the AMFI community. The initiative aims to foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and accountability, inspiring lasting positive impact and encouraging everyone at AMFI to engage actively in reducing waste and advancing sustainable fashion practices.

Botanarchy

NonFINALIST project

Charbel Cabrera García, Maurits van Eerd, Anuradha Smit

Botanarchy is a speculative cultural probe designed to provoke dialogue about globalization, plant domestication, human-centered thinking, and the commodification of nature. In a digital age where houseplants are treated as aesthetic props or symbols of virtue, Botanarchy challenges this view by embodying a rebellious, fast-growing plant that resists control. It reflects on humanity’s long history of altering and dispersing plant life, reshaping species beyond recognition. By breaking free from traditional plant care norms, Botanarchy urges us to reconsider our relationship with other organisms—not as decorations or resources, but as co-inhabitants of our shared environment with their own agency and value.

Christmas Tree Revolution

NonFINALIST project

Noah Benevides, Jan Overstegen, Choi Seongwoo

Christmas Tree Revolution explores the transformation of discarded Christmas trees—specifically pine needles—into a sustainable, bio-based material. Rich in cellulose, lignin, and essential oils, pine needles offer untapped potential as a renewable resource. By extracting and processing these compounds, the project demonstrates how waste from holiday traditions can be repurposed into biodegradable packaging, textiles, and bioplastics. This innovative approach embraces circular economy principles, reducing landfill waste while promoting sustainable material alternatives. Christmas Tree Revolution reimagines festive waste as a valuable resource, highlighting how seasonal byproducts can contribute to more responsible consumption and production practices year-round.

Human Resources

NonFINALIST project

Zareek Muyale, Pam van Rijn, Yatti Singh

Human Resources challenges conventional perceptions of human byproducts—specifically hair and nails—by exploring their potential as valuable materials within a circular economy. While often regarded as waste once removed from the body, these substances contain keratin, a bioavailable protein with untapped utility. The project focuses on extracting keratin and transforming it into a biodegradable material that is both functional and aesthetically engaging. By redefining these byproducts as resources rather than refuse, Human Resources critiques societal norms around beauty and repulsion while promoting waste valorization and material circularity as essential strategies for a more sustainable, resource-conscious future.

Selio

NonFINALIST project

Jamal Gorong, Finette van der Meer, Daniel Smid

Selio is a materials innovation brand focused on developing high-performance, cellulose-based leather alternatives. Using sawdust and beeswax sourced from local businesses, the project creates durable, functional, and aesthetically versatile materials—ranging from semi-transparent sheets to sturdy, leather-like surfaces. Designed for a wide range of applications, Selio materials combine comfort, resilience, and sustainability. By repurposing industrial byproducts into premium alternatives, Selio redefines material value and challenges traditional leather production. The project promotes a circular, locally grounded approach to material design, offering a compelling vision for ethical, high-end textiles that balance environmental responsibility with functional performance.

YARN: Visions of Radical Renewal

NonFINALIST project

Kjel Bader Bader, Kate Moeijes, Sofie Remmers

YARN is a creative consultancy agency dedicated to tackling waste and sustainability challenges across industries. With a mission to help businesses transform waste streams into valuable resources, YARN promotes circular economy practices through innovative, design-driven solutions. The project envisions consultancy as a catalyst for mindset shifts—encouraging companies to view waste not as a burden, but as an opportunity. By blending creativity with responsibility, YARN aims to foster long-term environmental and economic value. This approach redefines the role of consultancy, positioning it as a transformative force that inspires sustainable thinking and actionable change within organizations.

Understanding Perceptions

NonFINALIST project

Oyunna Kerssens, Anna Konst, Anissia Meshkova

Understanding Perceptions is a research-driven project that investigates the societal acceptance of bio-based materials made from renewable sources such as algae, fungi, and bacteria. Despite their environmental benefits and growing technical viability, these sustainable alternatives to leather and synthetics often face skepticism due to cultural biases, emotional reactions, and limited public awareness. The project explores how tactile, visual, and verbal experiences shape perception and trust, seeking to uncover strategies that foster broader societal acceptance. By addressing the psychological and cultural barriers to adoption, Understanding Perceptions aims to pave the way for a more sustainable and informed material future.

The Quiet Friend

NonFINALIST project

Thijs Besemer, Connie McCaul, Nikki Soeteman

The Quiet Friend is a reflective design project that explores humanity’s often-overlooked connection with nature. The title stems from a group insight: nature feels like a quiet friend—always present, comforting, but too often forgotten. In today’s world, nature is seen as separate: a place to escape to, a category like “park” or “jungle,” or simply a resource. This project critiques that estrangement, identifying it as a root cause of ecological disconnection. Through research and creative exploration, the team highlights the deep interdependence between humans and the natural world, culminating in a visual poem that invites empathy, reflection, and reconnection.

Sam Edens is a design researcher with a deep love for biodesign and materials. Sam combines her background in design and philosophy with a curious and analytical approach and develops education that focuses on inclusive ecological perspectives on technology-driven transitions. Besides researching circular and biobased materials, Sam coordinates the Biomaterials Studio: a community lab at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences where students, teachers and researchers work with biobased and living materials.