Pola

Pola

https://youtu.be/9bhtSmX4RNY

The birth of the Pola project is rooted in the profound impact of water hyacinth on communities, particularly in Kerala, India. Water Hyacinth is known as the world’s worst water weed, colonizing water bodies around the globe at an explosive rate and is considered a noxious weed species in 50+ countries. Despite efforts to remove the invasive species, these attempts have proven largely ineffective due to the floating nature of the plant, its high growth rate and the ability of its seeds to remain viable for up to 28 years. A single plant under ideal conditions can produce 3,000 others in 50 days, and cover an area of 600 square metres in a year. This plant's proliferation leads to the deterioration of aquatic ecosystems, chokes waterways, damages water distribution systems, impacts biodiversity and cause severe economic hardships for local communities.
Nanditha Nair, being from Kerala, experienced firsthand the challenges posed by water hyacinth. Witnessing its detrimental effects on her community, she became driven to explore the idea of transforming this environmental menace into a resource. This quest led her to IAAC in Barcelona and delved into extensive research exploring the viability of water hyacinth as a material for sustainable biomaterial production and Pola was conceived. Water hyacinth has high cellulose content and the presence of hemicellulose and lignin as well. It has high absorption ability and can even absorb heavy metals from water. These inherent properties were harnessed to repurpose water hyacinth into bio-objects, such as compressed boards, alternate leather, cat litter etc. Harvested water hyacinth stalks are meticulously processed—dried, powdered, and combined with specific ingredients—to produce materials. Pola project is presently setting up its first manufacturing unit in Kerala, collaborating with a women’s self-help group. This initiative is also intended to offer economic opportunities for affected communities.

The persistent presence of water hyacinth poses ongoing challenges for managing and controlling its proliferation, requiring innovative strategies and approaches to address this ecological issue. Like all human-induced ecological issues, the spread of water hyacinth forces us to reconsider our understanding of land and of interspecies relationships. This reconsideration brought to imagine a new future with Pola, one that contends with disruptions and uncertainty and that, in response, produces new meaningful bio-objects like compressed boards and alternate leather that contribute to the renewal and restoration of ecological systems. The use of compostable raw materials and low-energy manufacturing processes minimizes the carbon footprint, aligning with eco-friendly practices. The project's localized and regenerative approach in material production ensures the preservation of local ecosystems and biodiversity.
This alternative approach offers to solve a range of problems connected with Water Hyacinth from carbon footprint to health problems of those affected by the plant. The platform is aimed to go beyond the creation of biomaterials by adapting them to specific regions, finding solutions, and fostering entrepreneurship. Additionally, Pola establishes a comprehensive production, marketing, and sales channel, contributing to the overall health of social and environmental systems. Through its holistic approach, Pola stimulates economic healing and drives positive change within the larger ecosystem, promoting sustainable practices and improving the well-being of both communities and the natural environment.
The project's business model is designed to generate profit while being sustainable. By engaging in local manufacturing and collaborating with Fablabs, it reduces production costs and fosters economic opportunities. The distribution of the manufacturing process among communities ensures a balanced and sustainable profit-sharing model. Moreover, by introducing innovative sustainable materials, Pola taps into the market demand for eco-friendly alternatives in industries like construction, furniture, and fashion, positioning itself for commercial success.

Kochi, Kerala, India

2022-Present

#regenerativedesign #biomaterials #waterhyacinth

https://soulsanchi.com/pola/

https://www.instagram.com/polabiodesign/

Pola aims to foster an open and transparent approach where designers and researchers openly share their design processes, making them replicable and accessible to regional producers. Water hyacinth is nearly impossible to eradicate. Pola project started with the understanding that the key to the successful control of water hyacinth is the active participation of relevant stakeholders, including the affected locals. Water hyacinth seriously altered the livelihoods of these communities who depend on fresh water ways not just for drinking purposes, but for subsistence, commercial food, transport and even entertainment. By embracing openness and transparency, Pola empowers a wider community of producers to participate in the creation of biomaterials, promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing for sustainable and inclusive development. The platform provides region-specific recipes and tools necessary for producers to recreate and produce the biomaterials independently. Pola has created 2 sets of recipes for Spain and India and plans to create region specific recipes for every manufacturing region. The use of abundantly available local raw materials, in addition to water hyacinth, in the production process ensures that no material is overexploited thus leading to its destruction. Pola integrates traditional craftsmanship into its production process. This fusion serves as a bridge between heritage and innovation, allowing the transfer of ancestral knowledge and techniques to future generations. By decentralizing manufacturing and empowering local communities, the Pola Project instils a sense of ownership and agency within these communities. This involvement in the project's processes fosters a deeper connection and investment in the sustainable practices introduced. The project's business model promotes sustainability, ensuring that economic benefits are shared among the community, thereby fostering long-term economic stability and growth.

Pola embodies regenerative principles by utilizing environmental waste generated by invasive species. Through the transformation of this invasive plant into sustainable bio-objects, there will be less water hyacinth mat cover on water bodies which will result in enhanced sunlight penetration, reduced turbidity, and increased levels of dissolved oxygen. These improvements will positively impact water quality, fostering the restoration of optimal habitat conditions for aquatic organisms to thrive, encouraging them to return and flourish in these improved ecological environments. Pola uses low-tech tools that requires very less power; the manufacturing can be setup in remote locations. No chemicals are used in the entire process, all raw materials and end products in the project are biodegradable and compostable, prioritizing sustainability and minimizing environmental impact. Additionally, the biomaterial recipe is adapted for each region, incorporating local additives that are abundantly available in the area such as binders and resins, fostering a localized and regenerative approach to material production. Pola's diverse product range further exemplifies its commitment to the environment. Pola compressed boards are an eco-friendly alternative that reduces our dependence on traditional plywood which are made by cutting trees thus promoting a healthier planet. Pola uses bacterial cellulose and seaweed in the production of alternate leather. The production process avoids polluting practices like tanning and dyeing, utilizing natural dyes including bacterial dyes, thereby reducing harmful effects on the environment. Pola cat litter is a flushable and non-toxic alternative to the traditional clumping cat litter, addressing the well-being of pets while contributing to environmental preservation. This comprehensive approach aligns with the project's mission of fostering a sustainable, regenerative ecosystem, benefitting not only humans but also the entire biodiversity and environment.

Pola follows a collaborative approach. It enables citizens to become active participants in the design process through meaningful and participatory co-design approaches. The production of biomaterials from water hyacinth presents an effective model of decentralized production. As water hyacinth can be found all over the world, it serves as an abundant resource for “Distributed manufacturing”. It can be produced locally – distributed globally, by collaborating with fablabs & makerspaces, while engaging local communities, empowering them to become active participants in the process. Women in regions of water hyacinth proliferation have been using water hyacinth as a material for handicrafts like in basket making. Pola fosters a sense of ownership and agency, providing them with an opportunity to move into another dimension of manufacturing utilizing their skillset in collecting, cleaning and drying water hyacinth. An important aspect of Pola's approach is the utilization of low-tech tools in the biomaterials’ creation process, enabling easy replication even in remote locations. The Pola network can emerge as a powerful force in pursuit of creating sustainable and economically viable communities, connecting various NGOs, fostering partnerships, and plugging into the global Fablab network. With a shared vision of transforming water hyacinth into valuable biomaterials, the Pola network can heal regions affected by this invasive plant, offering new economic opportunities for those whose livelihoods have been impacted.