Macadamia-nut-shell composite
Before 1857, the macadamia nut grew nowhere else except on the mid–east coast of Australia. Australia is the largest producer of the macadamia and generates a large amount of discarded shells.
Queensland-based designer Marc Harrison seized this opportunity to reuse this waste material to create beautiful new products. After the macadamia kernels are removed, Harrison mills the discarded shells into fine particles and melds them with a polymer. He then molds the composite into various functional objects and surfaces.
Not dissimilar in appearance to Bakelite, Husque has a silky texture that can be enhanced by polishing with macadamia oil or wax timber polishes. It can be machined and has extensive applications in design and architecture. Husque can be lined with colors that can be machine polished to lacquerlike mirror finishes.
Contact: Husque Pty Ltd, Moorooka, Australia.
For more information, see Transmaterial 2: A Catalog of Materials That Redefine our Physical Environment
