biobased walls made from corn cobs are recyclable and biodegradable at their lifetime's end

Cornwall, a series of carbon-neutral reusable walls

A series of removable and reusable carbon-neutral walls named CornWall has come to town, made of discarded biobased materials that are bare corn cobs. Those who love nibbling onto the sweet corn chuck the core away, and it piles up in a factory like cigarette butts. Here is where materials company StoneCycling and consulting firm Circular Matters step in as they recycle and upcycle the organic biowaste into reusable interior walls and furniture cladding made of pulverized corn cobs.

CornWall rises from plant-based biomass, and its source is the central part of corn cobs, gathered mainly from Western European corn. The corn cobs, which are considered waste after harvesting, are a more green-conscious choice for StoneCycling and Circular Matters compared to ceramic walls or other less eco-friendly composite materials like HPL since CornWall absorbs carbon dioxide from the environment during the growth of the corn.

images courtesy of StoneCycling

Upcycled discarded corn cobs using heat

CornWall, a collaboration between Circular Matters and StoneCycling, is made in a sheltered workshop in Antwerp, Belgium. Here. Circular Matters uses a pressing process to create reusable walls from discarded corn cobs. The production team heats the organic cores of corn cobs to around 150 degrees Celsius, which activates the polymers in the biomass, creating strong bonds.

The result is a sturdy and stable end product employing heat. The heating process is done using electricity, and this electricity comes mainly from solar panels on the roof of the production facility. The companies state that no fossil fuels are used in the production process. In the (near) future, Circular Matters plans to set up a recycling scheme. This means that when the CornWall products reach the end of their life – such as when they are removed from a wall – there will be a system to take them back.

the CornWall collection includes one texture, eight colors, and two sizes

These returned products can be ground down and converted 100% into a new product. Currently, Circular Matters and StoneCycling are starting with the CornWall base collection, which is directed by Studio Nina van Bart. This collection includes one texture, eight colors, and two sizes, and more textures are planned to be introduced later. The trio is also open to creating custom options for larger orders.

StoneCycling and Circular Matters’s CornWall not only absorb carbon dioxide during its production but hold onto it for the long haul, making it a climate-positive product. It is also a natural-born recycler by being biodegradable, and CornWall is designed to come off walls by simply peeling it off with care and plastering it back onto another space or product in the house. The companies state that CornWall has no end-life since the product is biodegradable or can be 100% recycled.

CornWall is a series of reusable walls developed from discarded corn cobs