Problem :

In the U.S., over 10 billion paper bags are consumed each year, requiring the felling of 14 million trees. Two of the most important considerations for the eco footprint of a bag (or any other item) are whether we reuse it and, if so, how many times. An exhaustive Environment Agency (U.K.) report from 2011 found that paper bags must be reused at least three times to negate their higher climate-warming potential (compared with that of plastic bags). A cotton bag would have to be reused 131times to break even with a plastic bag, in terms of the climate impact of producing each bag

Cost: Paper bags are more expensive than plastic bags.

Storage space: Paper bags take up more storage space than plastic bags.

Weight: Paper bags are heavier than plastic bags.

Reusability: Paper bags are unlikely to be reused because they tear easily and disintegrate when wet.

Material development

Ingredients

Metal Mesh

Paper Bags

Corn Starch

I started the process with looking at how metal mesh can be formed. After that looking at how I can combine mesh with paper and do I have to do that or the paper can be formed by itself.

Pattern development

Here I was looking at the layering and what kind of patterns it creates.

** very nice ‘snake-skin‘ pattern from metal mesh appeared on the surface of the paper.

Light tests

Light Off

Light On

Physical model development

I started from looking at how just layered paper keeps its form and then continued with paper pulp. Third prototype is closer to the cylindrical shape that I wanted but really liking the snake-skin like pattern from previous prototype I was looking for a way to keep it on both sides of the paper. All further prototypes are explorations and adjustments of the from.