BioBeads aim to curb the negative effects of plastic beads through their use of clean materials and biodegradability.
Celebrations and events that promote general revelry, like Mardi Gras, are direct contributors to single-use plastic waste due heavily to the festive plastic beads worn by participants.
These plastic beads are commonly worn in excess during Mardi Gras and compound environmental damage due to plastic waste.
Alarming Facts about Plastic Beads
- 25 million beads are produced per year for Mardi Gras
- 5.2 million beads are shipped directly to New Orleans, Louisiana
- More than 66% of total beads produced contain toxic levels of flame retardant and lead
- The New Orleans Mardi Gras parade route contains a toxic level of lead contaminant
BioBeads are created using nine readily available biomaterials, including those discarded as industry waste, like chitosan, from the fishing industry.
Ingredients:
Agar:
Sugar contained from the cell walls of red algae or seaweed
Chitosan:
Sugar derived from the outter shell of crustacean exoskeletons
Vegetable Glycerin:
Hydrolysis of vegetable fats
Distilled Water:
Condensation gathered from the vapor of evaporated water
White Vinegar:
Fermented distilled alcohol
Calcium Carbonate:
Pulverized limestone powder
Mica:
Silicate mineral extracted from igneous rock
Green Matcha:
Green tea leaves
Red Beet:
Dehydrated and pulverized beets
Experimentation and Testing
Created a 3D printed mold (using Rhino) to form spherical beads.
The mold features channels to pour the mixture into, and air vents for air bubbles to escape from.
This mold, however, provided limited access to air, which resulted in multi-day drying times. Additionally, the agar frequently stuck to the mold and had a difficult time releasing.
This proved that the mold was not very practical, and therefore, I repurposed spherical silicone icecube trays as bead molds. The silicone enabled quick release and faster drying times.
BioBeads directly after being casted (from the silicone ice cube trays), and before air-drying (exhibiting a ~70% shrinkage rate).
This shrinkage determined which molds to use.
Experimented with various shapes and colors.
Also tested material quality and strength by experimenting with dremmel drilling and sanding.
All beads were able to be drilled and sanded, proving BioBeads have viable beaded jewelry potential.
Experimented with dying beads in a concentrated red beet dye, after their initial creation because the beads faded in color as they dried. Therefore, late-stage dye testing helped to envision color potential.
The beads, from left to right exhibit different color intensities, based on the amount of time the dye was set and the amount of time the bead was submerged in the dye.
Ultimately, the right bead exhibited the highest color intensity.
Process Photos
New York, NY