Nominator: Marinella Ferrara

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TECNOSUOLO, THE SOIL OF THE FUTURE

Tecnosuolo is an innovative and versatile method that allows you to grow crops outside of soil and earth, according to your needs and habits. Using a hybrid approach that combines hydroponic and traditional techniques, animal and plant-based textile fibers extracted and reprocessed from textile scraps and waste, such as unsold and defective clothing and scrap fabrics**, are reused as a plant substrate/fertilizer and mulch, improving soil fertility and structure. The fiber-based fertilizer substrate is used for seed germination in the cells and for plant growth, reducing water consumption. The fabric has the ability to absorb and retain a greater amount of water than soil, allowing plants to grow even in periods of drought or where water is unavailable. Furthermore, this agricultural system reduces the use of chemical fertilizers, as plant roots absorb nutrients from the fibers of organic and biological textiles. In mulching, textile fibers are used to cover part of the soil, making it more compact and structurally resistant. Furthermore, the fiber insulates the soil from heat and excessive light, preserving moisture and water. Tecnosuolo connects the textile industry to the agricultural sector, a system aimed at farmers, botanical gardens, greenhouses or nurseries, small agricultural entrepreneurs, and start-ups or SMEs with hydroponic systems, to implement their cultivation methods through the use of new sustainable materials.

GREEN BUILDING MATERIAL

Green Building Material is an insulating and construction material for green building, composed of a blend inspired by Roman cement that combines organic and synthetic textile fibers extracted from textile industry waste with a geopolymer. This latter material is generated through a cold reaction between a powder composed of volcanic ash, lime obtained from mussel and clam waste, steel mill waste, and a liquid material composed of silica. The result is a material with excellent thermal and acoustic insulation properties that requires no firing but is cold-dried, retaining its natural hygroscopic characteristics—namely, the ability to absorb moisture and insulate from heat, regulating temperature, and eliminating thermal bridges between the external and internal environments. Building Material is classified as an inorganic, flame-retardant, thermal shock-resistant, and waterproof material, opening the textile sector to collaborations with construction companies, interior design firms, and architectural firms. A product that presents itself in the green building market as a sustainable and economical alternative to the use of cement and concrete, as it has superior mechanical resistance to compression and flexure compared to traditional cementitious systems.

NUNO FELT

Nuno Felt is a nonwoven fabric (felt) composed and created with organic and synthetic textile fibers regenerated from fashion industry waste through wet felting, a technique with ancient origins dating back to the nomadic culture of Central Asia. This process involves felting not only animal fibers, such as wool, but also plant and synthetic fibers through a combination of heat and humidity generated by a manual motion using soapy water. This process focuses on the complete recycling of textile waste, as all types of fibers are reused, without generating additional waste. Nuno Felt is aimed at interior design studios for use in the creation of furnishing accessories such as lampshades, curtains, and rugs, and at fashion brands for the creation of clothing collections.