Concept Stroller Explores Biomaterials From Sawdust And Orange Peel

A concept stroller developed by students at Aalto University brings together seven experimental materials made from industrial waste, recycled fibres and plant-based raw materials. Created in collaboration with Dutch stroller manufacturer Bugaboo, the project explores how emerging biomaterials could meet the varied demands of an everyday product.

Seven Materials In One Product

Students from Aalto University’s CHEMARTS programme applied the materials to an existing Bugaboo Butterfly stroller frame. The concept combines rigid components, flexible textiles, cushioning and weather-exposed surfaces, allowing the team to test different material properties within a single recognisable product.

The canopy combines orange peel with waste wool, while sawdust forms the lightweight back panel. For the seat cushioning, the students used fibres recovered from recycled egg cartons alongside a starch-based foam. Hemp and lignin, the natural component that binds fibres in wood, were formed into a lace-like blanket.

A wood-based fibre material was shaped into leather-like labels. Meanwhile, a biobased tar coating gives the experimental vegan leather-like seat material its characteristic appearance, texture and scent.

Testing Materials Beyond The Sample Stage

The concept stroller is intended as a material demonstrator rather than a finished commercial product. By moving beyond individual samples, the project enabled the students to consider how each material might function within an assembled product and how production could potentially be scaled.

The seven materials are at different stages of development. According to Aalto University Professor Tiina Nypelö, the sawdust composite and fibre-based cushioning foams show particular potential for further research. The orange peel and wool canopy illustrates the possibilities of combining unconventional waste streams, although its weather resistance and durability still require development.

Nypelö suggests that some of the explored solutions could appear in everyday products by 2040.

Supply Chains Remain A Challenge

Developing the material itself is only part of the transition towards bio-based products. Established fossil-based materials such as polyester benefit from efficient, inexpensive global supply chains. By contrast, waste resources such as orange peel still require systems for collection, transport and processing at an appropriate scale.

Bugaboo’s brief provided the students with a defined product, realistic dimensions and specific users to consider. The collaboration also exposed the company to materials outside its existing procurement and manufacturing processes.

The stroller will be presented in the From Waste to New exhibition, part of Aalto University’s Designs for a Cooler Planet programme. The exhibition runs at Marsio in Espoo, Finland, from 1 September to 30 October 2026.

Source: Design Forum Finland / Bugaboo
Photos: Bugaboo