Material Lab Prize 2025 Honorable Mention
BioBeads are beads for a better future.
BioBeads aim to curb the negative effects of plastic beads through its use of clean materials and biodegradability. They are created using nine readily available biomaterials, including byproducts discarded as industry waste from the fishing industry.
Ultimately, 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 and health hazards due to plastic waste.
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
Shape and Strength Experimentation: