Plant-based castor oil resin light filter (Credit: Estúdio RAIN / Alex Batista & Juliana Boechat)
Brazilian experimental design studio Estúdio Rain has developed Rícino, a series of lamps that uses a light filter made from plant-based castor oil resin, a wood derived vegetal oil-based polymer. The collection elevates the natural aesthetic qualities of the nontoxic, biodegradable material while proposing an alternative application to its originally technical use. In the search for a mouldable material with good resistance to temperature variations, the design-duo stumbled upon the plant based castor polymer. Developed by the University of São Paulo, the resin is mainly used in civil construction as a waterproofing agent, or varnish. Characteristics such as its physical-chemical stability, elasticity, and ability to adhere to porous materials make this polymer very efficient in sustainably replacing petroleum derivatives. But close observation can show something beyond this function: when placed against light, the material produces an orange glow, warm and ethereal.
Rícino Lamps by Estúdio RAIN.
