Krill Design on 3D Printing Furniture Using Oranges, Lemons and Coffee Grounds

As the topic of sustainability continues to grow in importance, 3D printing is increasingly at the center of the debate about greener production. One example of this comes from a possibly surprising source. Krill Design’s projects may in fact be proof that 3D printing and planet go hand in hand. The startup was founded by three students from Milan Polytechnic and now prints lamps, magazine racks and decorative objects for your home with materials made from recycled food such as oranges, lemons and coffee. We interviewed them to learn more!

3DN: Could you introduce yourself and tell us more about Krill Design?

The Krill Design team (photo credits: acube).

We are Krill Design, an innovative startup born in Milan in 2018. We make 3D printed design products with biomaterials developed from recovered food waste instead of plastic. Krill Design was born from a meeting of three people united by different values, innovation, sustainability and design: Ivan Calimani, Martina Lamperti and Yack di Maio. The thinking of the three founders is quite simple: there are already several channels that intercept and valorize waste from the production of paper, glass and plastic, while for the organic by-products of the food chain, there are no suitable solutions. The three founders turned this problem into an opportunity by experimenting with the creation of innovative materials that, combined with 3D printing, resulted in a successful and environmentally friendly production process.

3DN: Why did you decide to use 3D printing?

3D printing was already well-known by of the founders, Yack and Martina, who had previously established a 3D printing center. Moreover, additive manufacturing allows us to be even more digital and sustainable. We manufacture our products on demand without creating large inventories in case of unsold products. In addition, 3D printing allows us to make products customizable and to constantly experiment internally.