New European Bauhaus Prizes 2023

Project category

Identify the award category for which this project is being submitted
Shaping a circular industrial ecosystem and supporting life-cycle thinking

Email user
verena.brom@mailbox.org

Basic information
Project title
A Matter of Fruit

Full Project Title
A Matter of Fruit – How juice consumption can help tackle our waste problem

Please provide a short, catchy description of your project to be used in communication towards the public.
A Matter of Fruit develops natural materials from local industrial juice press residues (also known as pomace), mainly using apple waste. This juice by-product is transformed into flexible films which offer a non-toxic alternative to synthetic materials and fossil-fuel based plastics. The new material is fully compostable and recyclable. In this way the initial pomace cycle is being extended and enables the matter to circulate further, replacing harmful linear systems.

What was the geographical scope of your project?
Regional

Where was your project implemented?
Member State(s) and Western Balkans
Germany

If relevant, insert names of region(s)/municipality(ies) involved
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Does your project address mainly urban or rural issues?
It addresses urban-rural linkages

Does your project refer to a physical transformation of the built environment or other types of transformations (hard or soft investments)?
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)

Has your project benefited from EU programmes and/or funds?
Yes

Which fund(s)?
ESF : European Social Fund

Here you can provide more details about the name of the specific programme, strand/action line as relevant, and the year
Funded by the design-in-tech accelerator DesignFarmBerlin from March 2022 - February 2023

Has your project won an EU prize with a monetary value awarded?
No

Is your project fully completed
Yes

Please indicate a date (mm/yy)
2023-01-30

On whose behalf are you submitting the application?
As an individual
Please provide the contact details for the project promoter (the individual or representative of the organisation authorised to represent the project).
- First name: Verena
  Last name: Brom
  Gender: Female
  Nationality: Germany
  Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Hedwigstr. 1
  Town: Berlin
  Postal code: 13086
  Country: Germany
  Direct Tel: +49 174 5807713
  E-mail: info@a-matter-of-fruit.org
  Website: https://a-matter-of-fruit.org/
Social Media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.)
- URL: https://www.instagram.com/a.matter.of.fruit/
- URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verena-brom-bbb766b8/
In case my project is selected as a finalist of the NEB Prizes 2023, I agree to share the name (individual and/or organisation’s), email address, website and social media accounts indicated above with other NEB Prizes finalists. I also agree to publish the name (individual and/or organisation’s), website and social media accounts indicated above next to the public description of my project in the channels of the European Commission.
Yes

How did you hear about the New European Bauhaus Prizes?
Previous participants

Description of the project
Please provide a summary of your project.
The industrial processing of fruit and vegetables into juice produces huge amounts of another substance whose potential is hardly recognised: pomace. The residues that occur during pressing are found later, above all, in the biogas plant, for pectin production or as animal feed, but their actually possible qualities are not really used. Germany, as the world champion in drinking apple juice, produces a particularly large amount of apple juice press residues – up to 200,000 tons per year, thus offers a raw material that can be sourced regionally. A survey of juice producers in the German state Brandenburg has shown that producers are still looking for a better solution for their pomace, as to some extend, pomace still has to be disposed of at their expense.
'A Matter of Fruit' is dedicated to the development of processes to convert pomace mainly into biodegradable films that can be used as alternatives to synthetic material. Depending on the thickness, it can be categorised between paper, plastic or leather and offers potential for different areas of application in interior spaces. A first use case has been developed for circular building concepts: here the films are applied as light diffusers and blinds to create a warm, natural atmosphere indoors and to provide an alternative to plastics such as soft PVC or Polyurethane.
In addition to the films, a printing paste made from apple pomace was developed, which further expands the design options and areas of application for the material. Tests have shown that the material is ideal for laser cutting and engraving. Due to its fusibility, the material can be welded or pressed into shape and, for example, transformed into a plant pot at the end of the first cycle of use, which biologically decomposes after being potted in the ground. This expands the natural pomace cycle, whereby the material can be returned to the biological cycle at the end of its life.

Please indicate the main themes of your project with 5 key words.
Circular Economy

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words
Material Design

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words
Plastic Alternative

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words
Utilize Food Waste

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words
Compostability

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of sustainability and how these have been met. Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context.
The new apple pomace material is made of the by-products from the juice industry. This means neither additional land is needed to grow the resources, nor its usage is competing with the food industry. The usage of regional juice press residue sources from Germany or Europe, links to shorter transportation routes, thus lower CO2 footprint and, compared to conventional plastics, production does not depend on fossil fuel rich countries.
The material can be repaired, recycled or composted which enriches a circular economy.
By using the new natural material, it contributes to a healthier living: unlike many current plastic items, no harmful plasticisers are leaking into the home or nature.
Preliminary tests have shown that the material degrades within three weeks, when embedded into soil. The material has been tested for tensile strength by the research institute Fraunhofer UMSICHT. The results have shown that its strength is comparable to conventional plastics which shows that the pomace films can to an extent be used as an alternative.

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience for people (through design, positive emotions and cultural benefits) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context.
When designing the material, it was important to use as few additives as possible – and to push boundaries: how can different properties be developed solely through different processing methods? For example, granulating pomace in different grain sizes can expand the scope for design and influences the haptic and translucency of the material: from smooth to abrasive, from transparent to opaque – a big variety of options are possible without loosing its monomaterialism. In addition to the material, an ink has been developed, also from the apple juice press residues, extending the design possibilities and application areas for the material even further. By producing the films with increased thickness, they become sturdier and less translucent and compare to a leather-like material. Due to its natural colour and especially in combination with light, the material can create a warm atmosphere in interior spaces. It aims to re-connect people to nature. It shows the possibility of creating products from nature that can be digested by nature after the end of its life.

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of inclusion (ranging from accessibility and affordability for all to inclusive governing systems, design for all principles or new societal models) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context.
The focus of A Matter of Fruit is to create a better environment to everyone. By creating circular films for the human living and working space, a material has been developed that addresses the wasteful usage of our resources. Instead of concentrating on specific social issues, the project aims to create a better foundation for all (human) beings and find better solutions to balance our relationship with nature.
A Matter of Fruit aims to make the new material accessible and affordable to all, by increasing the production capacity of the films, as long as nature’s biodiversity is not endangered.

Please explain the way citizens benefiting from or affected by the project and civil society have been involved in the project and what has been the impact of this involvement on the project
By drinking regional juice, civil society can be involved in the project, and also benefit from environmental impacts in the long run. The circular material that has been developed for the human living and working space, creates safer, natural indoor spaces and at the same time reduces the leakage of toxic material into the environment. All people are invited to participate in this circular product usage by repairing or returning the material after its end of life.

Please explain how different stakeholders at various levels (local, regional, national, European) were engaged in the design and implementation of the project. Please highlight what the added value of their engagement was.
Following stakeholders were engaged in the design and implementation of the project:
- DesignFarmBerlin: providing valuable coaching and mentoring
- Research Institutes such as Fraunhofer UMSICHT and IAP: testing and evaluating the material, pulsing device for natural coatings & processing techniques
- Juice Producers from the German State Brandenburg: Providing valuable information about juice production and its residues, showing interest in future collaborations and better use for their by-product
- Impact Hub Berlin: First Use Case of the material in their CRCLR house
- LXSY Architekten: Joint development of a light diffuser using apple pomace material
- Consumers of regional apple juice: responsible for creating regional available raw material that can be used for creating a natural alternative to fussil-fuel based plastics

Please explain which disciplines and/ or knowledge fields were reflected in the design and implementation of your project. Please explain how representatives of these different fields interacted with each other, and what the added value of this process was.
The project connected disciplines and knowledge fields from the area of material & surface design / circular design, science (chemistry, biotechnology, food technology) and production (food industry, agriculture). By exploring the possibilities how food waste can be used to design a new natural material, some additional areas such as food/bio chemistry and the juice industry have been examined and further research has been conducted. This way it was possible to work out that the components of pomace, such as pectin, are valuable parts. Applicable as a binder, pectin plays a major role in creating pomace films, avoiding the usage of further additives. Looking at the manufacturing process of apple juice, it revealed that the by-product of only one producer, which would have ended up in landfill, could be used to produce up to 39.300m of apple pomace film per year.
By brigading the different disciplines the manufacturing processes, regional and circular concept of the project could be developed and expended further.

Please give information on the results, outcomes and impacts achieved by your project in relation to the category you apply for. This includes also benefits from the project for direct and indirect beneficiaries
The outcome and result of the project is, that a first use case for the material could be implemented. Together with the Impact Hub Berlin and LXSY Architekten, a light diffuser made of apple films for the CRCLR house has been developed and will be installed in March 2023. The natural diffuser is able to replace conventional plastic films that would have been used instead for that effect. The installation of the apple pomace film lamps fully fits the concept that the Impact Hub is aiming to achieve for their premises: a circular house, which is constructed according to circular economy principles; all building materials being either reused or reusable.
Furthermore, a food by-product that would have ended up in landfill, is now elevated to a higher purpose while replacing environmentally harmful materials.
In case the light diffuser is no longer used, the material can be returned to A Matter of Fruit for recycling purposes. Alternatively, the material can be composted.

Please provide documents showing the results, outcomes and impacts of your project
Both
PDF
- pdf-1-18325.pdf
Web link
- https://a-matter-of-fruit.org/
Please highlight the innovative character of the project, when compared to mainstream actions in the field of the project
Like conventional plastic, the new material made of juice press residues is very versatile. Tests have shown, that the material is extremely suitable for lasercutting and engraving. Due to its fusibility, the material can be welded, moulded or pressed into shape. This means that zero waste products can be created and additional material such as thread or glue is not needed.
The aim of A Matter of Fruit is to take over responsibility for its developed materials. Since the new pomace material is recyclable and compostable, it can also be processed further after use. For example, before it ends up prematurely in the compost, it can be transformed into a plant pot, thus replacing plastic pots in order to save even further resources. Tests have shown that when the plant is planted in the ground together with the 'pomace pot', the material degrades within three weeks.
The juice press residues are currently mainly used as fodder and compost, to obtain pectin or to produce biogas and – in theory – undergo a circular process. However, its unique qualities could be put to much better use. The new 'pomace material‘ is compostable and recyclable and can be used as an alternative to fossil-fuel based plastics. This way the initial pomace cycle is extended, where the material can circulate further, replacing harmful linear systems.

Please describe the methodology or approach used in your project.
When designing the new material, it was important that in the end it remains recyclable by nature. The idea is, to only borrow elements from our nature for a limited amount of time and returning it back after it is no longer needed. Planning the return of ‘old material’ should become as important as sourcing ‘new’ natural material. This blurs the boundaries between new and old and an actual endless loop becomes possible.

Please describe which elements of your project could be replicated or transferred to other places, groups of beneficiaries and context. This may involve for example aspects of the methodology, technology, processes, products, learnings etc.
Apples for juice production are grown and pressed all over the world. Apple pomace should ideally be processed further where it is produced. A pomace film production can occur wherever juice is produced industrially. The films should also be used regionally. In this way, a local cycle can be established and additionally, long transport routes can be avoided.
Next to apple waste, the process can also be applied to orange peels, which occur in huge amounts during orange juice production.

Please explain what kind of global challenges the project addresses by providing local solutions
The project addresses the global challenge of transforming linear systems into circular ones. The new pomace material is compostable and can return to the natural cycle after its use. A Matter of Fruit also provides local material alternatives to products made of fossil-fuel based raw materials. Especially in Germany, a lot of juice waste is yearly generated. By using this locally available raw material, a long way of transportation can be avoided, thus reducing CO2 emissions.
Please attach at least 6 high resolution images (or other types of visual representations, if images are not possible) to your application.
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Yes

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Yes

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Yes

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Yes

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Yes

By submitting your application, you understand that all the applications that meet the eligibility requirements will be shared for the purposes of the selection processes, and notably published on the secured platform prizes.new-european-bauhaus.eu and for the purposes of the promotion of these on the New European Bauhaus website and/or other European Commission communication channels. In this sense, the applications would be widely available. Applicants should ensure that they present their projects, in such a way that they could be shared without giving rise to intellectual property related concerns. If your submission is selected as one of the finalists, it will additionally be shared for the purpose of the public vote that will take place. The European Union is granted a licence to use and share your application with the general public and the official external experts for the purposes of the selection process, including the voting. The European Union has the right to use the images and visual materials and the description provided in the application for communication purposes related to the contest and beyond. Rights granted comprise the right to store, reproduce, display, publish and communicate or distribute copies in electronic or digital format, including, but not only, through the internet. Unless you have disclosed your name, the European Commission has no obligation to share your name when using or disseminating your contribution to the public. The European Union cannot be held responsible in case any submitted project, is found to infringe third party’s rights. The European Union shall be neither responsible for the use that third parties may do of the applications or related content.
Yes

By submitting your application, you acknowledge that you read and understand that the ‘Guide to Applicants’ of the NEB Prizes 2023, available online in the website of the NEB Prizes 2023, is an integral part of this application form and that it must therefore be observed when completing and submitting your application.
Yes