German designer Katharina Hölz developed a new biodegradable material called Tresta, made from upcycled residue of wine production known as pomace.
Pomace (“Trester” in German) consists of the solid remains of grapes after pressing the juice, including skins, pulp, seeds, and stems. In Germany alone, 200,000 tonnes of this waste are produced annually, the majority of which remains unused.
To make the new material, Hölz combines the pomace with natural binders so that it remains biodegradable. A good wine has the right colour, the right scent and the right taste. Hölz also pays homage to all the senses. The material has a smell like must, and is lighter or darker depending on the grape variety used.
Hölz utilised it to make a lamp and a wine cooler. Together, the two pay homage to the shape of the wine bottle typical in the Moselle area. The lamp, Lichtgewaechs, is cone-shaped and accentuated with cables in various colours. To keep wine at the optimum temperature, Hölz also created a wine cooler called Kühlgewaechs.
Depending on the binder that is used, it is possible to create other products like packaging or sound-absorbing wall tiles. The material can also be applied in 3D printing. Hölz created a prototype urn to prove this concept.
With Tresta, Hölz won the Red Dot Award 2018.
Photos: Katharina Hölz