BIOTECA started in 2016 as a material archive project. Today, this innovative & eco-friendly library brings together four years of materials research and development. Unlike materials derived from the fossil fuel industry, all the materials of this archive are biodegradable, compostable, produced from waste or renewable resources.

These “bioplastics” can be based from different types of biopolymers sourced from the vegetable kingdom, such as : agar agar, sodium alginate, xanthan gum, starch, pectin, cellulose…, or the animal kingdom, such as : gelatin, collagen, casein, keratin, chitin….

In this material library, you can find : - circular materials made of food waste streams such as bacterial cellulose created from alcoholic beverages leftovers (white wine, red wine, vermouth, beer…) or from citric peels (oranges, lemons…) - biomaterials with smart properties such as conductivity, flame retardant or even materials that promote skin regeneration.

Each bioplastic sample is labeled with specific information : category, type, composition, properties, degradation and care recommendations; to help designers to understand the material’s potential applications.

Bioteca is a project that question the materiality of our world. How can we use chemistry to mimic natural structures to create both ecologic and smart materials ? How can we use synthetic biology to design closed-loop systems, eliminate waste, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transform our industry into a circular economy ?

The goal of Bioteca, material archive is to contribute to the growth of this new community of material designers invested in sustainable developments and inspire manufacturers to implement more ethical and ecological means of production.